The Tale of Shizuka Kaori
by MelodiousAlchemist
Summary: Shizuka Kaori has always dreamed of joining the ranks of the NOL, but little did she ever expect to meet someone who would change her life. But the one choice she has to make is if it changed it for the better, or for the worse. Rated T for language.
1. Enter, Shizuka Kaori!

"I can't believe this. Can you believe this? Because I most certainly can't!" More grumbling kept coming from across the empty kitchen, aside from the one person who was in it currently of course. "_I'm well aware of your stupid situation Shizuka, but you have to realize how hard that test to get into the NOL is. What did I tell you? I told you that you were going to fail, didn't I? But do you ever listen to the proclaimed genius Kokonoe? No_." A slight smile slithered across the girl's lips, and then returned to its normal scowl. "I know Kokonoe, I just really wanted to get in. You know how much I wanted to get in, and look what I'm doing. Now I'm just back to my regular job of cleaning the stupid dishes for Mr. Yazuki…" A quite growl was heard on the other side of Shizuka's earpiece, and this surprised her a bit. "Kokonoe, are you alright?" There was no answer for a few seconds, and then a long sigh was given in reply.

"_It's nothing Shizuka, I just really don't like that man you're working for. I've never liked him. My instincts are telling me something is very off about him, and I want you safe_," Kokonoe replied, a tiny hint of worry in her voice. That one tiny hint gave Shizuka all the evidence she needed that Kokonoe was in fact, deathly serious. "Wow Kokonoe, you're actually showing that you're worried. That's amazing…" Shizuka replied slyly, a grin spreading across her lips. Before either of them could continue, a loud bang was heard from behind them as the door to the kitchen was slammed open. Shizuka whipped around and quickly turned off her headset with a flick of her finger, seeing Mr. Yazuki glaring at her from the doorframe.

She immediately cowered against the counter, pushing herself against it as Mr. Yazuki stormed in front of her. "Time for your daily payment, woman."

Kokonoe was frantically clicking away at her keyboard, trying to restore the lost connection between her and her best friend. "Shizuka! Shizuka, answer me damn it!" she commanded as she stood up, thrusting her chair away from her. She slammed her fists onto the keyboard, causing a small alarm to begin sounding as an error alert appeared on her screen. Her pink ears twitched quickly, a definite sign of both her worry, and her anger. Her attention was immediately directed to her headset, as she heard a faint coughing coming from the other side.

She furiously began typing away at her keyboard again, trying to clear the interference away from the sound she was hearing. "Shizuka! Goddammit Shizuka, answer me!" Kokonoe nearly shouted into her headset. The coughing became clearer, and Kokonoe's ears picked up something else that made her eyes widen. The sound of sniffing and harsh breathing. "SHIZUKA! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Kokonoe shouted, fearing the worst her mind could possibly imagine.

A few moments passed, and then the sound of rustling came from the other side of the headset. A very shaky sounding Shizuka managed a small, "I-I'm here Kokonoe…" followed by a harsh cough. Kokonoe formed her hand into a fist, scratching herself with her nails unintentionally, and growled. "What the hell happened Shizuka? Put yourself on the damn camera so I can see you. NOW." Nothing was heard for a few more seconds, and then a small sigh was given in reply. "O-okay… give me a second…" Kokonoe waited, and when the video feed finally appeared on her screen, her eyes widened greatly. "S-Shizuka…"

There, on her screen, was a beaten and bloodied Shizuka, tears streaming down her face and one hand gripping her shoulder. Kokonoe felt her tails begin fluffing up, and she bared her teeth. "What the hell has that man been doing to you?!" Shizuka coughed quietly and looked away from her, afraid to look her in the eyes. "M-Mr. Yazuki… he's been beating me almost every other day… i-it started about a month ago, when I was getting ready to leave from my night shift. Mr. Yazuki came into where I was and began beating me, but not to the point I bled or had bruises. I figured he must have had a bit too much to drink, or had a bad day, and had no other way to get out his anger, so I let it go. But, then it started getting worse. The beatings became more frequent, and I started to bleed and get bruises. I stayed… because I needed the money Kokonoe… that's why I wanted to get into the NOL… to finally get out of here…"

Kokonoe glared at her screen, and then started typing away at her keys once more. Shizuka wiped her arm across her face, smearing some blood across her sleeve. "W-what are you doing Kokonoe…?" she asked meekly, since it hurt to even think about moving her mouth. Kokonoe smirked and pressed the Enter key on her board. "Gather up your stuff Shizzy, because guess what… you just joined the NOL." Shizuka gasped and nearly toppled over at what she just heard. "K-Kokonoe… T-thank you!" she exclaimed as she started hobbling her way over to the door and threw it open. She hurried as quickly as her bruised and battered body would let her, and crammed her stuff into her bag.

"H-hey Kokonoe… wanna see something?" Shizuka asked as she wiped a bit of dried blood off her cheek. Kokonoe tilted her head a bit to the side, and slowly nodded. "Alright. What is it?" She watched her screen, seeing Shizuka walk towards her boss's room. Almost immediately, a smirk spread across Kokonoe's lips. "Hey Mr. Yazuki! Guess what?" Shizuka exclaimed as she walked in front of him. "I quit." Kokonoe flinched as she heard the loud thock of Shizuka's fist slamming against Mr. Yazuki's cheek, and she chuckled. "That a girl. Now get out of there while you still can."

Shizuka gathered her strength and stood up straight, walking out of the shop into the dark streets. Kokonoe nodded to herself and popped a piece of candy into her mouth, gently tapping her forefinger on the stick. She pressed a key on the keyboard, and slowly closed her eyes.

"Tager, this is Kokonoe. I need you to keep an eye on Shizuka for me."

Shizuka, still wandering about the streets of Kagutsuchi, decided to stop in one of the local restrooms and padded in front of the mirror. "If I'm joining the NOL… I need to look my best. And this, is not my best," she muttered to herself as she splashed a bit of cold water on her face to clear the blood from it. She then bent over and grabbed a clean shirt from her bag, changing into it quickly. "Alright, now. It's time to finally do something good for someone." With those words, she picked up her bag, flung it over her shoulder, and walked out onto the streets toward the NOL building.

After walking a ways, Shizuka finally arrived at the front doors to the NOL building. She gulped, her heart beginning to race as she gently pushed open the large, wooden doors. She padded quietly inside, and turned on her headpiece once again. "K-Kokonoe… I'm inside the NOL building… who I go see to get my rank and whatnot?" she asked quietly. Kokonoe chuckled and replied, "_Don't even worry about going to see anyone. Just head into the uniform room. I'm so damn good, I already set you up with a rank and everything. You're an Armagus Soldier Unit, and of course, I set up your bio as using your bow, since you're so skilled at it. See? I'll be damned if I'm not a genius_." Shizuka smiled to herself, and looked around. "There's the uniform room…"

She trotted inside, being careful not to make any noise as to alert anyone, or, anything, which might have been still inside the building. She looked around at the different uniforms, and lightly tapped her cheek. "I'm an Armagus Soldier Unit right? Hmm… that's the blue uniform," she muttered to herself as she picked one up and looked at it. "Really…? These arm-pieces bug me, but oh well. Just another thing to get used to," she continued as she changed into her new outfit. "Hey Kokonoe, are you responsible for me being able to get in here so easily? The NOL is easily the most guarded building in all of Kagutsuchi," Shizuka asked as she pulled her hair out from the inside of her uniform.

She heard a snicker from the other end of the line, and then Kokonoe's voice. "_You bet your damn ass it was me. No other genius could have done this_." Shizuka giggled softly and took her bow from inside her bag. "Well, I made it into the NOL mom… I finally did it," she said quietly as she held the charm fastened around her bow in the palm of her hand.

"**I promise I'll make you proud, you and dad both.**"


	2. As The World Turns

"Things have taken a rather interesting twist, haven't they Valkenhayn?" The elderly butler and guardian of the girl glanced at her, fixing one of the cuffs on his sleeve. "Seems something is in store for not just one, but for all of us in this story. I can't remember the last time I was this anxious to see where the story goes," the blonde-haired vampire stated curtly as she set her cup of tea down on her plate.

"The world turns. Everything goes round and round. It seems something tremendous will come with this turn of events. But one must think, will it be for the better…

or will something devastating happen?"

Today felt like, no. It was the biggest day of Shizuka's life. She was now strutting about the NOL building, looking for her new room. "_Remember Shizzy. Don't act suspicious in any way, and you'll be just fine, alright? If you do, I'll kick your ass for having me do all this work for nothing_," Kokonoe threatened from the other side of Shizuka's headset. Shizuka giggled to herself, and stopped in front of a large, wooden door. "Hmm… this must be my room. Well, might as well go have a look inside." She placed her hand against the door, pushing against it and forcing it open.

"Mmm… it's nothing special… but it's a hell of a lot better than what I was having to deal with every day," she muttered to herself as walked inside. "_Yeah, sorry about that Shizzy. If I placed you in a rank higher than Lieutenant, the building would have noticed. You're lucky no one has noticed that someone new just popped into the employee roster yet_," Kokonoe sighed as she began clicking away at her keyboard once again. Shizuka shook her head, and placed her bag down on the floor beside her desk. "This is perfect Kokonoe, don't think anything about it. I'd much rather be here than where I was."

She heard Kokonoe emit a small snarl, and she smiled to herself. "Calm down Kokonoe. I won't have anything to do with that man anymore, and I hope to God what he's been doing will be discovered soon," she replied as she sat down in the chair behind her desk. Almost immediately, she heard the phone on her desk begin ringing. "_The hell? Shizuka, be careful. Remember, nothing suspicious_," Kokonoe warned as Shizuka picked up the phone. "This is Shizuka Kaori speaking," Shizuka said to whoever was on the other end of the line.

"Yes, Ms. Kaori. I need to speak with you in my office. It's down the hall from yours, first door on the left. Please make haste." With those words, she heard the phone be hung up. "Kokonoe, what is this about?" Shizuka asked as she stood up and fixed her uniform. "_Shit! I forgot that you have to be assigned to a higher-ranking officer as a secretary. God dammit_!" Kokonoe exclaimed madly. Shizuka cringed as she heard ringing in her ear, and sighed. "It's fine Kokonoe. I'm fine with whoever I get assigned to. It's really not that big of a deal," Shizuka replied as she walked out of her office and shut the door behind her.

"Hmm… he said down the hall, and it's the first door on the left!" she mumbled as she walked into the first door on the left. "Ah, Ms. Kaori. Thank you for coming quickly. It has come to my attention that you have not been assigned as a secretary yet. I'm not sure how long it has been like this, but I'm taking care of this issue now," a man with black hair and thin-rimmed glasses said rather emotionlessly as he began thumbing through papers. Before Shizuka even had a chance to respond, the man spoke again. "Ah, here. Come here Ms. Kaori." Shizuka obeyed, and walked in front of his desk. "I have now picked who you will become a secretary for. From now on, whenever he requests you, you WILL respond. That is your job as a secretary," he said as he began typing something into his computer.

Shizuka blinked and glanced down at the papers, seeing what she thought was an image of the man she would now be working for. "Damn… I can't see the whole thing…" she thought as she strained her neck to see more. She immediately went back to her previous position as the man with the glasses glared at her. "One moment, Ms. Kaori," he said in a low growl. Shizuka raised her eyebrow and resisted the urge to scoff. "Geez, this guy is such a stiff," she thought. The man picked up the stack of papers and placed them inside of a file, sealing them inside of a large envelope. "Now, Ms. Kaori. You are not to look at the documents inside this envelope until you return to your office. They are strictly confidential, and must not be seen by anyone but you, am I clear?" Shizuka took the envelope and bowed at the waist. "Thank you Sir, I understand," she replied as she held the envelope against her chest and walked out the door.

Shizuka resisted the strong urge to open the envelope, along with the begging from Kokonoe to disobey the man's orders in her ear, and padded back inside of her office. She shut the door once inside, and immediately sat down in her chair behind her desk. She stared at the yellow envelope in front of her, and then slowly slid her nail underneath the flap to release it. She slowly took out the papers from inside, and looked them over, making sure to read every detail and permanently engrave it into her mind. "_Well?! Come on! Just tell me who the hell you got assigned to_!" Kokonoe exclaimed in her ear, making it ring once again. "God Kokonoe! Calm down! You're gonna make me go deaf!" Shizuka growled as she turned down her headset a bit. "Damn…"

She then flipped to the last page of documents the man had given her, and blinked. "That's the picture I couldn't see… this must be man who I work for now," Shizuka said softly as she looked over the paper. "_Let me see damn it_!" Kokonoe continued in her ear. "Fine! Geez!" Shizuka said as she switched on her camera for Kokonoe to see. Kokonoe immediately grew silent as she saw who Shizuka had been assigned to. Her eyes narrowed to nothing more than slits filled with anger and hatred. "That son of a bitch…"

The girl's red eyes opened slowly, the image of her beautiful rose petals reflected in them. "Well, well, well… this is quite the predicament the universe has thrown upon all of us. Where will this take us?" she asked as she took a small sip of her tea. "There can be many outcomes in this situation. Many have near impossible chances, but even still, there's always a chance. Isn't that right…?" She tilted her head upward and stared at the full moon in the sky.

"Terumi?"

Shizuka stood up and walked towards her door, grabbing her bow and quiver. "Might as well go see my new boss huh, Kokonoe?" She received absolutely no answer. She was a bit confused, but continued walking out into the hallway as she attached her weapon to her uniform. "The Intelligence Department… erm… that's this way." She muttered to herself as she mentally mapped the NOL building inside her head. After a bit of walking, and taking several looks at this man's profile documents, she finally arrived at his office door.

She took a deep breath and formed her hand into a fist, softly knocking on the wooden door. "Sir? I'm Lieutenant Shizuka Kaori, your new secretary. Permission to enter?" She stood at the door, not hearing anything in reply. "Hmm… perhaps he's not here. I'll just come back later," she said as she turned around to start walking away. "Permission granted." This stopped Shizuka dead in her tracks and sent a shiver down her spine. "H-his voice…" she thought as she turned around and looked at the door. "W-what…? My face feels hot… what the hell is this?" she kept thinking as she slowly entered his room and shut the door behind her.

She couldn't make herself move anymore as she kept looking at the man sitting behind his desk, elbows on the wood, and fingers laced together. His green hair hung a bit under his hat, and a smile spread across his face. "Welcome Ms. Kaori. I am Captain Hazama, part of the Intelligence Department. But, that's obvious. Please…" He slowly opened his eyes, revealing their scorching yellow color.

"**Call me Hazama**."


	3. A Little Gift, From Me to You

Shizuka sat in her office, thinking non-stop about what had happened no more than an hour ago. She tapped her forefinger against her cheek in a steady rhythm, and released a deep sigh. "Koko… you haven't said a word since you found out I was working for Captain Haz…" "_Don't say his damn name_." Shizuka immediately closed her mouth and looked down. "I-I'm sorry… but what did I do? It's not like I chose to become his secretary, and plus…" She smiled to herself and laughed softly. "I kinda like him. He doesn't seem all that bad."

Kokonoe sat in her chair, glaring at her screen as she listened to her friend go on about the man she hated with all her heart in her ear. "_Goddamn it. Damn it all to hell. She meets the bastard once, and she starts blathering on like he's the greatest damn thing in the world. She has no damn idea what she's getting herself into_," she thought as she clenched her fist tightly. "_Rachel… why the hell don't you do anything_…?" A low whistling came from behind her, and she slowly turned her chair around to look at the blonde-haired vampire.

"Well, well, well. Speak of the devil," Kokonoe said emotionlessly as she turned off her headset. "You ask, and wonder, why I do nothing, correct?" Rachel replied as she stared into Kokonoe's rose-colored eyes. "There is a simple answer to this simple question. I've never been more interested to see where the world takes this event. Someone new has become a key player in the way things are taking place, and I don't intend to alter anything unless it is an absolute must," she continued, blinking her eyes slowly.

Kokonoe glared at her, tapping her finger on her chair as a sign of her irritation. "So you're just going to let my friend get pulled into all this shit? Not to mention it's with Terumi?!" she shouted, slamming her fist down onto her chair. Rachel eyed her emotionlessly, and she released a low sigh. "I refuse to interfere with things that require no assistance. I suggest you use your better judgment and leave things well alone." Kokonoe growled and stood up, thrusting her chair away from her. "The last time I used my better judgment to leave things alone, my best friend was getting physically abused you damn vampire!" she exclaimed.

Rachel looked at her for a moment, and then glanced away. "It was nothing more than a suggestion. But remember, every moment, every movement, every choice affects the outcome of this event. I would do well to remember that." With those words, Rachel vanished, leaving nothing more than a few rose petals in her wake. Kokonoe scoffed and pulled her chair back to its previous position, slowly sitting down as she put a piece of candy inside her mouth. "Just watch yourself Shizuka…"

After unsuccessfully trying to reestablish her connection with Kokonoe, Shizuka sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I do wish I could have something to do… it's rather boring around here," she muttered as she held the charm attached to her bow in her hand. No sooner had she said this, her phone began to ring. She glanced at it, and let go of her charm, moving her hand to the phone and picking it up.

"This is Lieutenant Shizuka speaking," she said as part of her normal greeting. "Ah yes, Lieutenant Shizuka." Shizuka immediately recognized her boss's voice, and took a deep breath. "Y-yes Sir…" "I would like you to come see me in my office. Seeing as how you're my secretary, I would like to get to know a bit more about you. So, come to my office as soon as you're able to." With those words, the line was disconnected. Shizuka blinked a few times, trying to take everything in. "O-okay… gotta go meet my new boss… personally… I can't give anything away," she said to herself as she stood up and walked to her door.

She walked back to where she had previously met her new boss, and stopped at his door. "It's Shizuka Sir. Permission to enter." She waited a few seconds, and then heard a, "you may enter," in reply. She opened his door and walked inside, seeing him in the same position he was earlier. "Come, sit down with me Shizuka," he said as he motioned his finger in a "come-hither" motion. Shizuka nodded and passed in front of his desk, taking a seat in a chair that was now in front of his desk.

"Very good, Lieutenant. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions. You wouldn't mind answering them for me would you?" Shizuka shook her head back and forth and Hazama smiled a bit. "Good. First question. What is your age?" "My age is twenty-four, Captain Hazama." Hazama looked at her, his eyes seeming to peer into her very soul. "Good. Question two. Have you ever had intimate relationships outside of the workplace?" Shizuka was taken aback by this question, and she felt a blush working its way across her face. "N-no Sir. I have never done anything like that… I've never even been with a man before…" she stammered, feeling her face get hotter.

Hazama tilted his head ever so slightly, and smiled again. "Very good. And my third and final question. Give me the names of your birth parents, and what are your hobbies?" Shizuka stared at him for a moment, and sighed quietly as she began twiddling her thumbs. "My birth parent's names were Aiko and Isamu Kaori. I unfortunately cannot tell you anything more, for they were killed when I was very young." This seemed to attract Hazama's attention, for he immediately looked very attentive when he heard those words. Shizuka ran her arm across her eyes, and then smiled. "B-but enough about that! Y-you asked about my hobbies as well Sir. In my spare time, I like to read and write stories about adventurous people, practice my archery skills, and I also love cooking whenever I get the chance."

Hazama raised his eyebrow and took out a small sheet of paper, beginning to write something on it with a pen. Shizuka watched him, and blinked as he held it out to her. "Here. This is everything you'll need to know about me for the moment. I would recommend you use what I have written on that paper in your culinary artistry." Shizuka looked at the paper and tilted her head in confusion. "E-eggs…? Sir, are you…" Hazama pressed a finger against her lips, making her grow silent instantly.

"Consider this your first assignment from me. Depending on how well you do at this, we'll determine you later missions. I want you to prepare something using that one ingredient in any way you like. I'll determine how well you did it. Consider me your personal judge," Hazama said as he leaned back in his chair and grinned at her. Shizuka gulped and nodded. "Y-yes Sir. I'll do my best," she replied as she stood up, bowed at the waist and turned around to walk out. "Ah yes, Lieutenant. One more thing." Shizuka glanced at him over her shoulder and opened the door. "Yes Sir?"

Hazama reached into his pocket and took something in his hand. "Catch this for me." He flicked his wrist forward, and tossed whatever was previously in his hand towards her. She easily caught it, and opened her hand. Now resting in her palm was a ring in the shape of a snake. "Wear that. Consider it a gift from me to you." Shizuka nodded as she put it on her middle left finger, and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Once she was a safe distance away from his office, she sighed softly and looked at her new gift. "I don't know what Kokonoe's problem is…

**_...he's such a nice guy_**."


	4. First Task, Complete!

"_So you're deciding to become close and personal with this girl, hmm_?" Hazama's forefinger tapped gently on the phone as he pressed it against his ear. "Eh, don't worry about it. I'm only doing it because she's my secretary. I kinda have to in order to keep things quiet, right?" The man on the other end of the line sighed. "_Yes, that's correct Hazama. But, you gave her your ring_." Hazama laughed coldly. "Oh come on. It was nothing more than a "friendship" trick. And don't you dare start going on to me about this. I've thought nothing of it. And I'm not the one walking around with a son, am I?"

"_Shut up this instant Hazama. All I'm telling you is that women are dangerous. Do NOT get yourself caught in anything_." Hazama moved a bit away from the phone as he heard it slam onto the receiver. "Damn. He sure is serious about this. But he doesn't understand the one simple fact that I can't feel that emotion," he muttered as he placed his phone back on its holder. "That ability was lost long ago…"

Shizuka, now attempting to complete the task her new boss had given her, was completely lost as she tapped a spoon on the counter. "God damn it. What does he mean? Almost every food item uses eggs. But… he must want something specific or around that area, so I have to find out more," she said as she rubbed her temples with her forefinger and thumb. "Alright… I might as well ask around to see what I can find out about him," she continued as she walked out of the building's small kitchen and into the main area.

Looking around, she noticed that almost no one was around. She sighed, and then smiled as she saw a girl who looked to be a few years younger than her strutting down the hall. "Hey! You over there!" she exclaimed as she ran towards her. The girl turned to face her and looked up at her. "Yes? Do you need something?" Shizuka blinked and looked over the girl who was now face to face with her. "May I ask your name?" The girl seemed puzzled, but nodded. "Yes Ma'me. My name is Zara, and I'm a student here." Shizuka laughed softly and gently touched her shoulder. "I see, that's why you look so young…" "Hey! Watch it! I'm not that young, sheesh…" Zara retorted quickly. Shizuka was taken aback, and then shook her head. "Please forgive my arrogance, Zara. But, I need to ask you something."

Zara tilted her head a bit, and nodded. "Alright, go on." "Um… I've been given an assignment by Captain Hazama from the Intelligence Department, and I was wondering if you could help me out with it." Zara raised her eyebrow for a moment, and then a small smirk spread across her lips. "Ah, Captain Hazama hmm? You sure it was just an assignment?" Shizuka felt her face grow hot, and she stared at the girl. "W-what are you saying? Are you saying I'm just doing this for the hell of it? N-no! He told me to do something with eggs and my "culinary artistry!" Zara held her side as she nearly toppled over in laughter.

"Oh man! You reaction was priceless!" she managed to say in-between breaths. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, and then took a deep breath to calm herself. "Eh, I suppose I could help you out. You seem like a very kind person so, why not right?" Shizuka smiled and softly fluffed Zara's hair. "Thanks a lot Zara. I'll be sure to repay you, I promise."

A bit later, both Zara and Shizuka were back inside the building's kitchen. "Hmm… being a student, I hear a lot of gossip. And a lot of it comes from Captain Hazama. People say that he literally lives on a diet of boiled eggs." Shizuka stared at her in amazement, and took a deep breath. "Erm… a-alright… well, I suppose I can work with this." She began rummaging through the drawers and finding things she thought would be most helpful to her in preparing this meal for her boss.

After getting everything set, she leaned against the counter, listening to the boiling water. "Zara, you know… I've been thinking. He never said I had to do anything in particular, so… I'm gonna be myself when I do this." Zara raised her eyebrow, and walked beside her. "Are you sure? I mean, you could fail if you don't do something he likes." Shizuka sighed quietly and then smiled. "You know, I've always thought people who follow orders exactly are nothing more than pawns. I like doing things differently, and that's what makes me, me. If people aren't willing to accept that, then I see no point in staying here."

Zara looked at the floor, thinking about what she heard. "I suppose, but what happens if you get in trouble?" "Then I'll accept it." Zara looked at her, a surprised look on her face. "I'll accept it with the fact that I know I was being myself. I don't want to be some mindless pawn that just does what people say," Shizuka continued as she took the now boiled eggs off the fire and began messing with them.

Zara sighed and closed her eyes. "You're… kinda weird, you know that? But, it's a good weird. I mean, you join the NOL, which is pretty much nothing but following orders, and yet you say you don't want to be a pawn." A loud thock came to the end of Zara's words as Shizuka's knife slid its way through an egg and hit the wood cutting board.

"You're right Zara. I'm weird. But does that really matter? What is normal anyway?" With each question asked, another slice was cut through the egg. "I do wish people would learn to accept everyone, no matter what they do or how they act. Even the worst people on earth still have good in them. It may be buried under tons of shit, but it's still there," she continued as she placed one final slice of egg where she wanted it to be.

Zara blinked and looked at, well, whatever it was that Shizuka had prepared. "Um, Shizuka… what the hell is it? I've never seen that before." Shizuka laughed and picked up the plate. "This, my friend, is a culinary art known as "English-Muffin Egg Pizzas," and they're really good. I just hope I made them to his liking…" she stammered as she sighed deeply. "I'll come with you. I won't come inside, but I'll come with you." Zara said as she walked with her out of the kitchen.

Shizuka smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you Zara." Both of the girls walked to Hazama's office, and Zara knocked for her, since Shizuka had her hands full. "Captain Hazama Sir? It's Shizuka again!" She was greeted with the normal, "you may enter," reply, and Zara opened the door for her and silently mouthed, "Good luck."

Shizuka padded in front of Hazama's desk and set down what she had prepared in front of him. "Here Sir, I completed the task you asked me to do." Hazama raised his eyebrow and looked at it, eyeing it and making Shizuka extremely nervous. "Lieutenant, you do realize that I know you know for a fact that I prefer my eggs plainly boiled, correct?" Shizuka felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and nodded slowly. "Y-yes Sir, I just…" Hazama raised his hand, forcing her to become quiet.

He took one of the mini muffins in his hand, and placed it into his mouth. Shizuka watched him, fiddling with the snake ring he had given her as a result of how nervous she was. After he had finished, Hazama laced his fingers together and placed his chin in the middle of them, smiling at her happily. "Congratulations Lieutenant. You did exactly what I wanted you to do." Shizuka nearly lost her footing at those words, and looked completely flabbergasted.

"But Sir! I didn't do it to your liking!" Hazama chuckled, and shook his head. "I didn't want that. Let me tell you what I did want. I wanted to see how you accomplished things without almost any information at all. In fact, you got the answer that most people would have gone by immediately. I don't want that. I watched you as you carried out this task, and I saw you do things your way. That's what I want in an assistant. Someone willing to take risks and chances. So, congratulations Ms. Kaori."

Shizuka sighed deeply in relief, and placed a hand behind her head. "Damn… I seriously thought you wouldn't like it Sir…" Not answering her, Hazama pulled a drawer out from his desk and took out a small stack of papers. "This is your first real mission Ms. Kaori. You will accompany me to Orient Town, and help me do a bit of recon. _**Be ready to go tomorrow morning**_."


	5. The Beginning of Something New

Shizuka awoke in a cold sweat, looking around in all directions. She took a deep breath, and put her hand over her chest. "Another dream about my parents…" She rose to her feet and ran her fingers through her hair. "_They've been getting more frequent lately… and I have no idea why_," she thought as she gripped the side of her desk. She then gripped her hips and bent herself backwards, cracking her back. "Ah, that feels better. I really should think about finding myself somewhere to live," she muttered, thinking to herself out loud.

"But today is my first big mission with Captain Hazama, so I need to make sure I do my best. I can't let anything block my concentration today, especially not anything personal," she continued as she latched her bow onto her uniform. She put on her quiver, and sighed softly. "Alright. I'm ready. Now I just have to wait for Captain Hazama to come get me." No sooner had she said that, did she hear a knock on her door. "Ms. Kaori. It's me. Are you ready to leave?" Shizuka smiled and walked to the door, opening it and revealing her boss. "Yes Sir, I'm ready." Hazama nodded and put his hands into his pockets. "Alright then, come along. We'll be doing a lot of walking today, so I hope you have good stamina."

Shizuka's mind temporarily went into the gutter, and she forced herself not to blush. "Y-yes Sir. I train almost every day, so I have pretty good stamina." Hazama smiled and nodded. "Alright. Now, do you happen to know anything about the woman named Litchi-Faye-Ling?" he asked as they walked out of the NOL building. Shizuka blinked, having heard that name somewhere before. "I've heard the name before Sir, but I unfortunately do not have any information about her personally," she replied, feeling a bit embarrassed she couldn't answer his question. "I see. Well, we will be going to visit her today. I have some business to take care of, but. I'm going to have you do this for me. Do you think you can handle that?"

Shizuka nodded and replied, "Yes Sir. I can handle this task. I'll be sure not to fail." Nothing more was said between the two of them and everything was silent, aside from the tapping of their shoes against the concrete. Shizuka twiddled her thumbs as they walked along, and then cleared her throat. "S-so, Captain Hazama, I think since I'm your assistant now, perhaps I should get to know you a little more," she said as she looked up at him. "I mean, you did get to know me a little right?"

Hazama glanced down at her, and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Well, you must realize that I have the right to know about you since you're _**my**_ assistant. But, I guess it couldn't hurt right?" Shizuka smiled a little and nodded. "Well, I don't have much to say about my family life. Don't really have one I guess you could say. Don't really have any hobbies either. I guess I'm a pretty boring guy," he said as he put his hand back into his pocket. Shizuka smiled softly and shook her head. "No Sir, I don't think that's boring. You have to realize you have a very good job, but that comes with the price of it being very busy and time-consuming."

Hazama looked at her, smiling a bit. "I suppose that's true. You know, in all my years, I've never met a woman more interesting than you. You have a very unique way of thinking, and it's really quite… odd." Shizuka blinked and then looked down. "I-I… I see… I didn't know you thought I was odd," she said quietly as she felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. She then gasped as she felt Hazama's finger under her chin, and he forced her to look at him. "Being unique is nothing to be upset over Shizuka. I simply meant that it's extremely rare to find someone like you. So, wipe those tears off your face. Keep your chin up, Shizuka."

Shizuka stared at him and then felt him run his thumb across her cheek to rid them of her tears. "Good. Now come on, we have something we need to do, right?" Shizuka smiled a bit and wiped her eyes. "T-thank you a lot Sir. That means a lot to her someone compliment me… oddness," she said quietly. Hazama smiled at her and then looked back ahead of them. "Come on Ms. Kaori. It's not much further." Shizuka nodded and kept walking beside him, being sure to never once stray from his side.

"Don't you see, Kokonoe?" Kokonoe glared at her screen and rubbed her temples. "This is nothing but shit, Rachel. He always does this shit. He plays people. He plays people, and then when they're finally comfortable, he takes everything from them," she growled. Rachel blinked slowly and released a small sigh. "Kokonoe. You must remember that things can change. It's nearly a microscopic chance, but the chance still remains, does it not?"

"Not him. Not that damn bastard. Nothing will ever change him. You can show me all the evidence you want. My mind is made up," Kokonoe replied as she closed the image on her screen, not being able to see any more. Rachel closed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Say what you will, Kokonoe. But things are changing. And I am very curious to see where the universe will take it. The world turns. Everything goes round and round… and now is the time to see what unfolds."

Shizuka and Hazama were now standing outside of a medical center in Orient Town, and Hazama looked at her. "Now, I want you to find out everything you can about Ms. Litchi. Understand Ms. Kaori?" Shizuka nodded, and walked towards the door, pushing it open and heading inside. "Hello? Ms. Litchi?" she said meekly as she looked around. "Hold on one moment! I'll be right there!" she heard a female voice call from somewhere in the clinic.

Shizuka blinked and then looked around, taking in everything she saw. "This is a nice place… it's really pretty inside. I bet that's to help make the patients feel at home," she muttered to herself. "Okay! Sorry about that, I had someone who needed taking care of!" Shizuka turned her head to look, and saw a very beautiful woman walk out from inside a room, softly brushing her hands together. "I take it you're Ms. Litchi?" Shizuka asked as she smiled.

Litchi tilted her head a bit and nodded. "Yes, that's me. But, who are you might I ask?" Shizuka bowed at the waist and saluted to her. "I'm Lieutenant Shizuka Kaori from the NOL!" Litchi's eyes widened and she walked closer to her. "Shizuka…? Is that really you?" Shizuka took a step back as Litchi reached out her hand. "What are you talking about? I just met you. I don't even know you…" Litchi looked befuddled and sighed quietly. "You really don't remember anything?"

Shizuka looked at her strangely, and shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Litchi sighed softly and folded her arms across her chest. "Shizuka… I took care of you that night.

**_I took care of you and your parents the night the accident happened_**."


	6. I'll Keep My Promise

Shizuka stared at the woman in front of her, having no idea how or what to do. "_She says she was the one who took care of me. Then…_" She grabbed Litchi's wrists, and looked her in the eye. "Tell me what happened! You were there, so you know what happened! You have to know!" she exclaimed, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Just… tell me what happened to my parents…" she choked, hanging her head to hide her tears from Litchi.

Litchi sighed and grabbed Shizuka, pulling her against her chest and softly stroking her hair. "I didn't think you'd even remember your parents were killed. You were so little when it happened, I thought you would just forget, but I guess not…" she said softly as she gently laid her chin on the top of Shizuka's head.

"Your parents were brought in that night, bloodied and nearly torn to shreds. I had never seen wounds like that, and I certainly had no idea what caused them. I did everything I could to save them, but I knew there was nothing I could do with the amount of blood they had already lost. But, while I was working desperately to save our parent's lives, I saw a little girl by the entrance door. It was you, Shizuka."

Shizuka looked up at her, tears now flowing steadily from her eyes, and Litchi used the sleeve of her garments to gently wipe some of them away. "I immediately knew you were the child of these two people, and I felt so bad I could do nothing more to save them. I brought you inside next to them, since they were still alive, and told you, "Little one, your mommy and daddy have to leave now. They're going on a long trip, and they won't be back for a long time." I mean, what else could I tell someone as little as you? You started crying, and your mother took your hand. That's when she gave you your amulet. I don't know if you remember her last words to you, but…"

Shizuka shook her head and did her best to swallow the lump in her throat. "I-I remember her last w-words to me. She told me, "You'll do great things, my little one. Your father and I both believe in you, and love you, very, very… much…" With those words, she broke down once again, falling to her knees and covering her face with her hands. Litchi slowly got down onto her knees in front of her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Shizuka, your parents loved you very much. I never knew them, but from that one moment, I could see it. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save them. So, this is my fault as well." Shizuka shook her head again, and coughed. "N-no. You did everything you could. You even said there was nothing you could do with their wounds. But, I have one question. Did it look like an accident…? Or something else?"

Litchi sighed quietly and nodded. "Those wounds were no accident. Something or someone had to have done it to them." Shizuka's skin grew pale, and she felt her hands shaking. "S-so… you're meaning to tell me… my parents were murdered…?" Litchi nodded, and rubbed her forehead. "But I don't know who would have done it. I got word from people who went to investigate your house, and they said nothing had been moved or taken. So, it was very odd." Shizuka sighed and ran her sleeve across her eyes to remove the tears from them.

"Well…" she said quietly as she stood up and took the amulet off of her bow. "I can't just sit here and cry. My mother and father wouldn't want that. I need to be strong for both of them. Thank you Ms. Litchi," she continued as she bowed at the waist. "You've been very helpful. But, I must take my leave." With that, she turned around and slowly walked out of the clinic. Litchi watched her go and sighed to herself. "You're a strong girl, Shizuka. I wish you luck…"

"Ah! Ms. Kaori, you're back. Did you do as I asked?" Captain Hazama asked as he saw Shizuka walking towards him. She stopped in front of him, and without looking at him, nodded. "Yes. I did. I shall have a full report for you when we return to headquarters," she said a bit coldly as she began walking past him. Hazama watched her, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe it was a bit too soon…" he muttered to himself.

Shizuka stopped, and bowed her head. "Captain… Sir… may I ask a favor of you?" Hazama looked up at her, and put his hand into his pocket. "Of course. What is it you need?" She turned around and looked at him. "Will you come with me somewhere? It's not very far. I just… I really need to do this Sir." Hazama walked beside her and nodded. "Of course." Shizuka sighed quietly and started walking off. "But, we might want to hurry. It looks as if it may begin raining soon," Hazama stated as he padded along beside her and looked at the darkened clouds in the sky. Shizuka sighed and nodded. "I know Sir. But I really have to."

After walking for a bit, Shizuka slowly pushed open the steel gate in front of them, and walked inside. Looking around, Hazama realized they were heading inside of a cemetery. When he looked forward again, he saw Shizuka a bit ahead of him, but she was kneeling in front of two graves. He slowly walked beside her, and read the names on the tombstones. "_Aiko and Isamu… those were her parent's names_," he thought. She then turned his attention to Shizuka, whom he heard saying something. "H-hey mom. Hey dad… I just thought I'd come by and say hi… I know it's been a while since I came here, but I've had a lot going on," she said quietly. "But you won't believe what happened. I finally got into the NOL… and I already completed a mission. I got assigned to a really good boss mom… a lot better than the last one. His name is Hazama… and don't worry dad. He's a good guy. I bet you'd approve of him if you met him…"

Hazama sighed quietly and noticed Shizuka was shaking. "A-and… I found out a-about you guys today… I'm so sorry I-I couldn't do anything… I know I was little… b-but I still feel responsible for this… I'm so s-sorry…" Hazama knew she was crying again, and he saw several tears fall onto the grass. "Hey now… Shizuka," he said as he knelt down on a knee beside her. "You can't blame yourself for this. You were nothing more than a child. You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, and your parents certainly wouldn't want you blaming yourself either," he continued as he placed a hand on her head.

Shizuka coughed quietly and nodded. "Y-yes Sir… thank you," she replied as she looked up at him and smiled a little. "There you go. Now c'mon. It's starting to rain, and I don't want to mess up my best suit." Shizuka nodded and reached into her bag. "Here… I brought these for you…" she said as she gently placed a few flowers on each grave. She then stood up and placed her feet together, making a slow salute to her parents. She smiled softly, and placed her hand beside her side again, turning around and walking off back towards the NOL headquarters with Hazama.

"_**I promised I would make you guys proud. And I won't let anyone stand in my way anymore. I promise with everything I have I'll live my life, and do my best to make you two proud**_."


	7. Living Alone Isn't the Answer

The steady tapping of the pencil on the desk was the only sound that could be heard inside of the small office. "Goddamn it. I told him I would have a full report when we returned to base, but I have nothing to report about Ms. Litchi," Shizuka muttered to herself as she put the pencil down on her desk. "I can't write him a report about what I learned. I just can't do that," she continued as she leaned back in her chair to rest her back.

Just then, she heard her door creak open, and looking up, she saw that Zara was standing in the doorframe. "Hey Shizzy. I was just wondering if you needed anything." Shizuka sighed and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger. "Actually, yes. I do need some help with something Zara," she replied as she picked up her pencil once again. "Captain Hazama and I went on an assignment to find out about a woman named Ms. Litchi-Faye-Ling, the doctor from Orient Town, and he sent me into gather intel about her. Unfortunately, I didn't learn anything about _her_, just about my parents…"

Zara blinked and looked at her. "Hmm… well, do what you always do. Remember, you said you didn't want to be some brainless zombie right? So, what did you see about her when she talked to you? What was she like? Don't be a mindless imbecile okay?" Shizuka smiled happily, and nodded. "You're right Zara! That's exactly what I've been missing!" she exclaimed as she started writing things down on her paper.

Zara laughed softly and watched her. "So, you and Captain Hazama have been getting pretty close hmm…?" Shizuka gasped and looked up, coming face to face with Zara, now having a wide grin on her face. "H-hey! It's not like that okay?! I'm his assistant. Nothing more…" she replied as she felt her face turning red. Zara giggled and placed her hand on Shizuka's head, rubbing her hair and messing it up. "Aw man! Dammit Zara! You messed up my hair!" Shizuka complained as she did her best to put it back into place.

"I knew you wanted to look good for Captain Hazama!" Zara laughed as she grinned at her again. "N-no! I mean… I do… but, it's not like that matters," she replied quietly as she sighed and started writing again. Zara blinked, and knelt in front of her desk. "Hey, hey, hey… what's that attitude for?" Shizuka sighed again, and kept writing. "It's not like it matters. I'm not a pretty girl. Looks matter, and I'm not pretty. Besides, I bet someone as nice and handsome as he is already has someone to love," she replied.

"Actually, you're wrong. Captain Hazama has never had anyone, it's another one of the many rumors that get spread around here. I asked one of the teachers in the Academy, and she said it was true. She said he usually sticks to being alone, and that's really it." Shizuka finished one final letter, and looked up at her. "That's… that's really sad. I can't imagine being alone like that with nobody to go to…" she said as she looked back down at her paper.

She then stood up quickly and grabbed her report. "In that case, I'll have to be there. I'll do it. I won't just leave him alone to suffer with any problems he has," she said sternly as she started strutting towards the door. Zara ran beside her and grabbed her shoulders. "Shizuka… be careful. Don't throw yourself into this so blindly. I know you like him, but you must remember that you have to respect yourself too." Shizuka raised her eyebrow and laughed quietly. "I'm not gonna frigging offer myself up to him. Hell no. I'm just saying I'm gonna be there for him. No one deserves to be alone, no one," she replied as she began walking down the hallway.

Zara sighed softly, and followed her. "You know, you may be too kind for your own good." Shizuka smiled a little, and pulled Zara close to her. "So? Being nice isn't all that bad, ya know? You should try it sometime!" Zara glared at her and pouted. "Hey! What are you saying?!" Shizuka laughed and gently pushed Zara away. "I'm just kidding," she replied as she turned a corner and stopped in front of Hazama's office. "Wait here okay?" she said as she formed her hand into a fist and gently knocked on his door.

"Captain? It's Shizuka, Sir. I'm here to turn in my report about Ms. Faye-Ling." She waited for her usual response, and then walked inside. "Here you are Sir, everything I learned about Ms. Faye-Ling," she said as she set the report down on his desk. Hazama looked at her, and then picked up the report, beginning to scan over it. "Very good Ms. Kaori. Once again, you never cease to surprise me with your uniqueness," he said as he set the report inside of an envelope.

Shizuka smiled and then moved her feet together, making a salute to him. "Hazama, Sir! I have an important announcement to make to you, Sir!" Hazama looked up at her, raising his eyebrow. "Yes? What is it that you wish to tell me?" Shizuka then lowered her hand and started twiddling her fingers. "Sir… I just wanted to tell you that I wish you wouldn't think of me as just your assistant. I want you to know that… that I'm your friend too." These words made Hazama's eyes widen, and he stared at her. "S-so… don't ever hide anything from me, got it? Cause as your friend, I won't let you go through things alone," Shizuka continued as she smiled softly.

Hazama then looked back at his desk, not really knowing how to respond to what she just told him. "Shizuka… I really do prefer being alone…" Before he had a chance to continue, Shizuka's hand hit his desk. "Sir! Being alone is no way to live. Friends are there to help you through your problems, and I know that everyone has them. I want to help you Sir, and I won't allow you to be alone anymore. Not while I'm here anyway." Hazama sighed, and took off his hat, setting it on his desk.

"Alright. Shizuka, thank you," he replied as he picked up his hat and set it on Shizuka's head gently. Shizuka smiled and took it off, placing it back on his desk. "I'll be taking my leave now Sir," she said as she turned around and walked out of his office. She shut his door, and smiled with glee as she began walking back to her room. Zara ran beside her, and stared at her strangely. "You okay, Shizuka?" she asked as she gently poked her arm. Zara stopped walking and watched her friend nearly skip down the hallway, giggling gaily.

"_**I got to wear his hat! And even better, he was the one who put it on my head! I got to wear his freaking hat**_!"


	8. A New Foe

"Rachel, this is getting too out of hand. Shizuka has fallen in love with the bastard. She has no damn idea about who he is! We can't let this continue any further," Kokonoe commanded as she glared at the vampire. Rachel folded her arms across her chest, and glanced away. "I'm well aware of the events that are unfolding Kokonoe, but you have to realize something. After everything that has happened in the past, the Shift has been broken. And as you know, your friend is in greater danger than ever because of it. Terumi is not the only threat your friend has at the moment."

Kokonoe looked a bit confused, and then immediately whipped around, typing furiously on her computer. "Shit! Tager, this is Kokonoe! Hakumen is after Shizuka, and I need you to keep him from getting to her!" she exclaimed as she kept clicking away on her keys. "Tager! Tager, dammit answer me!" "It's no use Kokonoe. I would stop this moment before you make more of a fool of yourself," Rachel said in her normal serene voice.

"Shut your damn mouth Rachel! I don't give a damn what you say!" Kokonoe retorted quickly. "Well, you might, "give a damn," when I tell you that she was never even supposed to know you." Kokonoe immediately stopped what she was doing, and glared at the she-vampire over her shoulder. "What the hell are you talking about…?" Rachel raised her eyebrow and replied, "Shizuka Kaori was never supposed to meet you. In fact, she was never supposed to exist in the first place. That is what caused the Shift to break."

Shizuka was happily trotting about the NOL building, heading towards her boss's office. "Sir? I have something to tell you!" she said as she knocked on his door. After hearing her words of entry, she walked inside and up to his desk. "I'm going out Sir, and I would like you to come with me!" Hazama looked up from the paperwork he was completing, and raised his eyebrow. "Ms. Kaori, I'm quite busy at the moment, and I really have to-" Before he had time to finish, Shizuka had walked beside his chair, grabbed his hand, and pulled him out of his sitting position. "Oh come on. You need a break Sir. All you've been doing today is working, and that's not good you know. C'mon. Let me treat you to lunch," she said as she gently tugged on his arm and started walking towards the door.

"Shizuka, I really can't." Shizuka looked at him and then looked down. "I'm… I'm sorry Sir. Please forgive my behavior…" she replied quietly. She then turned around and walked out the door, shutting it behind her. "_Ever since I told him I wanted to be there for him… he's been acting very cold towards me. I don't like it… but I'm sure he has his reasons…_" she thought as she walked down the hallway. "_I guess I'll just go out for a bit then. If he needs me, he can just call me back to headquarters,_" she continued as she walked out of the building.

She wandered down the street, and then smiled to herself. "Perhaps I can go explore the forest today. I've always wondered if anything interesting was in there…" she muttered. After walking a bit more, she came to the entrance of the forest. "Alright… I might as well go ahead. I see no point in coming all the way down here if I'm just gonna stand here like a dummy," she continued as she padded inside.

Looking around, she noticed this forest wasn't very… lively. Sure, there were trees and plants, but nothing was alive. No birds were singing, no animals were scurrying about on the floor, there was just nothing. "Wow. This forest… sucks," Shizuka said, disappointed she didn't find anything inside. She then turned around and blinked. "Um… where did I come in…?" she asked as she started walking around. "Oh shit… I got myself lost…" Her ears pricked up as she heard something crunch from somewhere nearby. She immediately drew her bow, nocking an arrow and drawing the string back a bit. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

She kept looking around, when she noticed something coming towards her out from the shadows. She drew her bow all the way back, and stared at whatever it was. "Come on! I can see you, you dumbass! Get out here!" she commanded. Almost on command, a man walked out from the shadows, dressed in armor that covered his whole body. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" Shizuka asked sternly. The man reached behind him, seeming to pull a sword out of nowhere and held it out, pointing it at her.

"_I am the white void. I am the cold steel. I am the just sword. With blade in hand, shall I reap the sins of this world and cleanse it in the fires of destruction!_ _I am Hakumen. The end has come!" _the man exclaimed as he launched himself towards Shizuka. Reacting on instinct, she jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding a slice from Hakumen's sword, and released her fingers, firing an arrow at him.

"You think those puny sticks will phase me?" he asked, whipping his sword towards her again. "Ahn!" Shizuka exclaimed as she gripped her bleeding arm. She dropped her bow, and fell to her knees. "S-shit… I can't feel my arm…" she panted as she felt the blood continuing to flow from her gaping wound. Hakumen walked in front of her, and she looked up at him. "Why are you doing this to me…?" she managed to ask.

"You ask me why…? Because you're not supposed to be here. Just like your parents. They asked me the same question before I took their lives." Shizuka's eyes widened, and she felt like her heart exploded. "YOU BASTARD!" she screamed as she stood up and pounded her good arm against his armor. "You… bastard…" she kept repeating as he blows got weaker with each hit. She fell to her knees in front of him and covered her eyes with her hand, weeping to the point she could barely breathe.

"Showing such emotions does no good for you. What good does crying do? Will it bring them back? Will it recover their souls?" Shizuka could not answer him, and continued to let the tears pour from her eyes. "I might as well end you now, so your soul may be at peace with those of your parents…" Hakumen continued as he raised his sword. "D-do it… I don't care…" Shizuka managed to say through choked tears.

Hakumen raised his sword, and said nothing more than, "May your soul rest in peace in the afterlife…" Shizuka braced herself for the coming pain, but none came. She heard a loud clash of metal, and she looked up quickly. In front of her, arms outstretched, stood none other than her boss, Hazama.

"**_Don't you dare touch Shizuka, bastard_**."


	9. My Rescuer

Shizuka stared at Hazama, not believing he was actually protecting her. "Well, well, well. We meet again, Terumi," Hakumen said as he moved her sword to his side. "And it seems I've come across the "badass knight in shining armor" once again! It's great to see you!" Hazama replied, obviously being sarcastic as he bowed and took off his hat. "Still interfering with things, I see." Hakumen's grip on his sword tightened when Hazama said this, and Hazama laughed.

"Can't find a reply? Aww, the little hero can't find his words! What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Hazama taunted as he cackled in amusement. Hakumen still did not reply, and lifted his sword. "Oh! It seems the knight wants a fight hmm? Well, that's not gonna happen. You see, I'm not one for fighting," Hazama said as he put his hat back on his head. "Come Shizuka. We need to get away from this trash," he continued as he grabbed her by her wrist and helped her up.

"S-Sir… I can't…" Before Shizuka could continue, Hakumen launched himself at the both of them again. Reacting immediately, Shizuka felt Hazama's arm wrap around her waist, and he leapt backwards, narrowly avoiding Hakumen's sword slashes. "Ouroboros!" Shizuka saw Hazama thrust his arm forward, and a long chain with what looked like a snake's head on the end shot into the air. Hazama's grip tightened around Shizuka's waist, and he grabbed the end of the chain, pulling both himself and Shizuka out of Hakumen's reach.

"You still haven't changed Hakumen! You're just as bad Major Kisaragi! Perhaps even worse!" Hazama called as he started cackling in amusement once again. Hazama cast two more chains, and they landed right outside the opening of the forest. He let go of Shizuka's waist, and then looked at her. "What the hell were you thinking going in there alone? You almost got yourself killed," Hazama said sternly as he started examining her arm. "I-I'm sorry Sir… I always wanted to see what was in that forest… I didn't know it would almost get me killed," Shizuka replied meekly.

Hazama released a low sigh, and placed his hand on the back of his neck. "We need to get you fixed. You've lost a hell of a lot of blood. I'm surprised you haven't passed out yet, especially since he cut a major artery." Shizuka shook her head and looked up at him. "S-Sir… I won't go down that easily. That man… I found out he was the one who killed my parents. There's no way in hell I'm dying now that I know who murdered them. I need answers first."

Hazama sighed once more, and looked at her. "I have the answers you're looking for. But, we need to fix your arm first. Then we'll talk," he said as he scooped her up and held her close to him. "I'm taking you to Orient Town. Ms. Faye-Ling should be able to help you recover," he said as he began walking. Shizuka nodded and held her arm. "_That man… why did he kill my parents? Why did he try to kill me? I don't understand any of it_," she thought as she stared at the cloudless sky. "_I never did anything to him… and my parents weren't people to be rude or mean to anyone from what I've heard… so… why…_?"

She then blinked as she noticed the blue sky vanished, being replaced by a wood ceiling. "Shizuka! What happened to her?" she heard Litchi as she ran over and immediately started examining her arm. "She had a run-in with someone in the forest. She needs immediate attention," she heard Hazama reply as he laid her down on one of the medical beds. She sat herself up, and Litchi brought over what she needed. "I wish you would have brought her here sooner… the wound is already beginning to become infected…" Litchi said as she put alcohol on a rag and placed it on the wound, causing Shizuka to cringe in pain.

"D-don't worry Litchi… I'll be okay," Shizuka replied as she managed to pull off a weak smile. Litchi released a small sigh, and started stitching up her wound. "You're lucky you didn't bleed out… but you should be alright now," Litchi said as she bandaged her arm and then stood up. "Now… you promise me you'll be careful and not have to come in again, understand?" Shizuka smiled and nodded. "You can count on me, Ms. Litchi. Thank you," she replied as she stood up and bowed at the waist.

As Shizuka and Hazama began walking out of her clinic, Litchi placed her hand gently on her waist. "She's grown so much… "

Back at the NOL headquarters, Hazama and Shizuka were now inside of his office. "You wanted to know about Hakumen, and his relationship to your parents, correct?" Shizuka nodded. "Yes Sir…" Hazama opened a drawer in his desk, and pulled out a file. "I found this in the file room. It's a full bio about your parents. I'm not sure if it will connect anything to Hakumen, but it's a start, right?" Shizuka took the file, and opened it, beginning to read about her parents.

She was interrupted however, by Hazama's phone. "Ugh… excuse me Shizuka. I need to take this," he said as he picked up the phone and placed it against his ear. "This is Hazama from Intelligence." Shizuka seemed to lose what he was saying as she began reading again, paying no attention to who her boss was talking to. That is, until she heard him begin talking about her. "She's being really good for me. Obeying me, for the most part. And don't worry about it. I've got it covered, alright man?" Shizuka looked up at him and tilted her head.

Hazama noticed her confusion, and lifted his index finger, telling her to wait a moment. Shizuka nodded, and waited until he had hung up with whomever he was talking to. "That was a friend of mine. He calls me every now and then to see how I'm doing, and how my job is going," Hazama said as he leaned back in his chair.

Shizuka nodded, and then placed the file back in front of him. "Thank you Sir, but I really found no reason as to why my parents were murdered. All I know, is that I've found at least a little peace knowing they were good people, both having jobs that helped save people's lives," she said as she stood up and bowed at the waist. "So, thank you Sir. You really helped me today," she continued as she gently held her right arm with her left hand.

She then went to grab her bow from her back, and her eyes widened. "No… no no no no no!" she exclaimed as she started looking around frantically. Hazama raised his eyebrow, and reached into his pocket. "Looking for this…?" he asked as he held out her amulet. Shizuka felt tears well up in her eyes, and ran behind his desk, grabbing the amulet and hugging him tightly at the same time, which had enough force to knock of his hat.

"Thank you, Hazama! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed as she cried tears of joy. She then gently picked up, his hat, and placed it on his desk. "F-forgive me… I just… I thought I lost it. It's the only thing I have left of my parents… so… I needed to actually show my thanks…" she said as she smiled and rubbed her eye.

Hazama cleared his throat, and fixed his hat as he put it back on his desk. "It was nothing, I just noticed it when we were walking. It must have fallen off whenever you were heading out of the building." Shizuka placed the amulet around her neck, and sighed softly. "Thank you again Sir… it means a lot to me that you picked it up," she replied as she turned around and walked to his door. "Oh yes. Shizuka. One more thing before you go."

Shizuka turned around and looked at him, a bit confused. "Yes Sir? What is it that you need?" she asked in reply. Hazama smiled a bit, and laced his fingers together.

"_**Would you mind making those things for me? The ones you made me the other day? It seems you've made me addicted to them**_."


	10. So Close And Yet, So Far

Shizuka sat in her chair, cheek on her fist, staring at the wall. "_It's been weeks now since I've heard from Kokonoe… she never just vanishes like this_," she thought as she released a deep and heavy sigh. "_No matter how much I try to contact her, she never answers me. That's not like her at all_," she continued, heavy and dark thoughts clouding her mind. "_It's been like this ever since I told her that I got assigned to Captain Hazama. She started losing contact with me… and then stopped talking to me entirely_…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, and then slowly stood up from her chair. "Well… I'm sure she has her reasons. Everyone has their own reasons for everything," she said out loud as she started walking out of her room. Before she got to the door though, a gentle knock was heard coming from it. She tilted her head, and opened the door once she got to it. "Captain?" she asked as she looked at her boss standing in front of her.

"Ah yes! Ms. Kaori. I wanted you to come with me somewhere," Hazama replied as he moved his hand into the depths of his pocket. Shizuka, very curious as to where he was taking her, nodded. "Um… y-yes Sir," she replied as she walked back into her office to get her bow. "Ms. Kaori… where we're going, you won't be needing that," she heard Hazama say when he noticed she was reaching for her bow.

She blinked, but listened to what he said and left her bow beside her desk, walking out into the hallway with him. "Y-yes Sir. But, Sir, may I ask where you're taking me? It's very unusual to go on a mission without my bow, Sir." Hazama looked at her out of the corner of his eyes as they began walking, and Shizuka heard him chuckle quietly. "Mission? Oh no. No, no, no, no. This isn't a mission, Ms. Kaori." Shizuka was quite stumped when she heard this reply, and started twiddling her thumbs while they walked.

"Would you like to take a guess as to where we're going? Let's make this a game. You have three guesses to guess where I'm taking you," Hazama replied as he stopped walking and got close to her face. Shizuka felt her face grow hot, and she gulped. "Y-yes Sir… um… are we going to the f-forest again?" Hazama shook his head, moving a bit closer to her face. "Nope. Guess again." Shizuka knew her face was crimson red, and she managed to stammer, "A-are we going somewhere else in the building?" Once again, Hazama shook his head and moved even closer to her, so close their noses barely touched. "One more guess, Ms. Kaori." Shizuka nearly stopped breathing from how nervous she was, and forced herself to say, "A-are we g-going to O-Orient Town…?"

With those words, Hazama moved himself away from Shizuka's face. "Yes indeed Ms. Kaori. Very good. No come along with me," he said as he began walking again. Shizuka released a long breath of relief, and then took a deep breath to keep herself from passing out. "_W-what would have happened if I didn't answer right_…?!" she thought as she hurried to get back by his side.

After walking for a bit, Shizuka blinked as they arrived outside of a restaurant located in Orient Town. "S-Sir… what are we doing here?" she asked as she looked up at him. "Are we doing recon here for whatever reason?" Hazama shook his head, and looked down at her. "No. Shizuka, do you know what Orient Town is famous for?" After not hearing a reply from the puzzled Shizuka, Hazama continued, "Orient Town is famous for its culinary artistry, and seeing as how you like that kind of thing, I decided I would be nice and treat you to dinner."

Shizuka flushed crimson again, and nodded. "T-thank you Sir! I mean… it really means a lot to me that you would do something like this for me," she said as she smiled happily. Hazama nodded, and gave her a smile. "Come on Shizuka. We can't just stand here forever," he said as he walked inside. Shizuka followed him, and they soon were seated. "Order whatever you'd like Shizuka. This is on me, alright?" Shizuka nodded, not really knowing what to say. All was quiet for a few minutes, even more so after Shizuka had ordered what she wanted.

Shizuka started twiddling her thumbs once more, and glanced up at her boss sitting in front of her. He was leaning back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, and looking back at her. Shizuka looked down quickly, and blinked as she noticed her food was in front of her. "_O-oh… they must have brought it when I wasn't paying attention_," she thought as she took her chopsticks and broke them apart.

After eating a bit of it, she looked up and noticed the salt was in the middle of the table. "I need a bit of this…" she said softly as she stood up a bit from her chair to reach for it. "No, Shizuka. Allow me," Hazama said at the same time and stood up to reach for it as well. This caused both of them to come face to face again with each other, and they stared at each other, Shizuka's face flushing bright red. "_Dammit…! I need to learn to control my damn blushing_…!" she scolded herself in her head.

"Ms. Kaori… I said I would get it…" Hazama said quietly as he kept looking at her. "W-well… I thought it would be rude to ask you to… get it for me Sir…" Shizuka replied softly. "But Ms. Kaori… it honestly wouldn't have been rude of you to ask me," Hazama replied as he smirked a tiny bit. This caused Shizuka's face to go bright red, and she gulped. "S-Sir… I would never ask anything of you…" she replied softly. "Well then Ms. Kaori… I have something I would like to ask of you…" Hazama said as he looked her in the eyes. "Y-yes… Sir…?" Shizuka managed to breathe out.

"How would you feel… if…" Hazama's voice trailed off, and everything seemed to be lost in a blur of colors and muffled voices as Shizuka noticed the slightest movement of her boss's head. "_S-shit… w-what do I do_…?" she thought as she didn't move. "_Screw it… this may be my only chance… and I'm sure as hell gonna take it_," she continued as she slowly followed his lead, closing her eyes and going towards him.

"Here's your bill ma'me!" Shizuka was quickly knocked out of her trance, and noticed a small slip of paper in-between her and Hazama. She glared at the female waitress, making her take a few steps back and smile nervously as Shizuka snatched the paper from the woman's hand. "I-I'm so sorry Sir… forgive my behavior…" she said quietly as she slowly sat back down and looked away from him. She couldn't hear his response, and she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment and anger.

She ran her sleeve across her eyes, and stood up. "I'm going back to headquarters Sir…" she managed to say calmly. Hazama stood up after giving the waitress what he owed her, and walked beside her. "Come on. We'll both go Ms. Kaori," he replied as he began walking outside. Shizuka followed him, and did her best to muffle her crying.

"_**I'm such an idiot**_…"


	11. Admitting Feelings Isn't Wrong Right?

"_Then what the hell do you call that little move Terumi? I specifically told you to stay away from that girl, and this is what you do_?" Hazama sighed, and stared at the door to his room. "It was nothing, Relius. Good God. You act like it's the end of the goddamn world," he replied, his irritation very obvious. "_Terumi. You must realize the seriousness of the situation you have drawn yourself into. You're risking everything for this girl, and I cannot allow that. Either you change things, or I end this myself_."

Hazama rubbed his temples, and released another sigh. "You know what Relius? Just let me handle this. I'm a big boy now, and I don't think I need you to babysit me anymore. Goodbye," he said as he put the phone back onto the receiver. He leaned back on his chair, and covered his eyes with his hand. "_What the hell is happening to me_…?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You had a perfectly good chance to smush your lips together, and you didn't do it?!" Zara exclaimed as she stared at Shizuka. Shizuka released a small sigh, and she shook her head. "I wanted to… I was… but the goddamn waitress had to ruin everything…" she replied as she looked away. "But still… you can't avoid him forever Shizzy. You're gonna have to talk to him about this." Zara replied as she walked beside her desk and wrapped her arms around her in a friendly embrace.

"I know Zara… I just… I don't know what to say to him. I can't just walk in there and declare my feelings for him," Shizuka replied as she laid her head gently on her arm. "No. That's actually exactly what you need to do. You need to march into his damn office, strut right up to his desk, look him in the eye, and tell him how you feel," Zara replied as she jumped back and pointed her finger at her. "No more hiding, Shizuka!"

Shizuka sighed, and looked at her. "A-alright… I'll do it. I'll do it okay?" she said as she slowly rose to her feet. "There ya go, Shizzy. Go on. Even if nothing happens, you can walk away from it knowing you tried, right?" Shizuka nodded and walked to the door, opening it slowly. "Y-yeah… I'll be back okay…?" she replied as she walked out and shut the door behind her.

Shizuka was now standing in front of Hazama's door, her hand folded into a fist, and ready to knock on the door. Right as she began to move her hand to knock, she heard Hazama say, "Come in Shizuka." Shizuka blinked, seeing as how she didn't even knock, but then opened the door and entered his room. "S-Sir… I need to talk to you about something," she said as she walked towards his desk.

Hazama glanced up at her, and nodded. "I'm pretty sure I already know what this is about…" Shizuka stopped right in front of his wooden desk, and looked at him. "Sir… I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. The way I was acting was out of order, and should not have happened. Please, if there is any way you can find it in your heart to forgive my actions, I ask that you would do it."

Hazama nodded and then looked away from her. "Yes, Ms. Kaori. I forgive you." Shizuka looked down, and resisted the urge to twiddle her thumbs. A long period of silence passed between the two of them, and Shizuka took a very long and deep breath. "Sir!" Hazama looked up at her, and saw that she had a very serious and determined look on her face. "S-Sir! That was not all I came here to tell you!" she continued as she looked him directly in the eyes.

"Then go on, Shizuka. I'm here to listen to whatever it is you have to tell me," Hazama replied calmly. Shizuka stared at him for a moment, and then leaned over his desk, gripping his tie in her hand.

"Sir… I love you goddamn it."

With those words, she pulled him towards her, and kissed his lips.

Rachel's eyes slowly opened, the reflection of the cup of tea she had in her hands now showing in them. "Hmm… once again, the universe has taken another turn. But, the possibilities still remain the same. They will not change. But, one must also wonder what will come of this interesting predicament," she said to herself. "But, Princess! If that woman keeps going with that man, how will it end?" Gii asked in confusion.

A loud smack was heard, and a yelp of pain from the small bat-like creature. "Did I not just say that one must wonder what will happen? I do not know what will come of this." "_I know where the hell this is going. And I won't let this happen damn it_." Rachel opened her eyes once more, and a small smile crossed her face. "Ah, Kokonoe. I was wondering when I would hear from you. It seems things have taken yet another interesting turn, hmm?"

"_Goddamn it Rachel, this isn't a game anymore! Terumi is going to do something to Shizuka, I can feel it damn it! You need to get off your ass and do something to stop this shit_!" Rachel chuckled to herself, and replied, "Well, I could in fact say the same thing to you. All you do all day long is sit on your behind and drone on and on about the problems with your friend, and yet you do nothing about it." She heard a small growl from Kokonoe, and then a very small chuckle.

"_Oh, don't you worry. I've got something planned. There's no way in hell I'm letting Shizuka get pulled into this shit. She's already got hurt because of this shit, and I'm not letting it go any further than that_," Kokonoe replied and a near whisper. She pressed a button on her keyboard, and a smirk formed on her lips.

"_**Tager. This is Kokonoe. I have a new assignment for you**_."


	12. Yet Another New Friend

Shizuka stared at him, her face flushed as red as it could be. "And I mean it Sir… what I just did proves that I do. It's fine if you don't love me back. It's fine if you don't even care. I just couldn't hold it in any longer, Sir," she said softly as she gently held his cheeks. She heard no reply from him, and then looked down. "I-I see… Sir, I'm very sorry that I caused such an inconvenience of your time… I'll be taking my leave now," she said as she stood back up and held her wounded arm with her hand. She turned around and padded quietly towards his door, pulling it open with the hand on her wounded arm.

"Good day to you Sir…" she said quietly, and then walked out, shutting the door with a soft thud behind her. "_Zara was right… now that he knows… I feel a lot better. I don't have all my emotions bottled up inside me anymore. Someone like him doesn't deserve to have things kept from him, and I'm actually happy he knows now_," she thought as she walked past her office and towards the entrance of the building. "I might as well go for a walk… I would like to visit Ms. Litchi again, since she's really good at helping people with their problems," she continued as she walked outside, taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

Her shoes made a soft clack as she walked along, her arm throbbing every time one of her feet hit the ground. "D-damn… my arm seriously hurts…" she muttered as she gripped her wound gently with her hand. She sat down on the sidewalk, out of the middle so no one would run over her, and sighed deeply. "_Damn it… I can't get him out of my head… why didn't he answer me? Will he even want me to work for him anymore_?" All these thoughts kept running rampant in her mind like a stray dog running the streets. "Excuse me…? Miss…?" A small, childlike voice interrupted her thinking, and she looked up, seeing a small boy with blonde hair in front of her.

"O-oh… hello there little one… did you need something?" Shizuka asked as she looked at his innocent-looking features. The boy continued looking at her, and he replied, "Yes actually, I did. Looking at that uniform, you work for the NOL, correct?" Shizuka stood up and slowly nodded. "Yes, I do. Why do you ask?" The young boy looked up at her, and asked, "Would you happen to know a girl by the name of Noel Vermillion? Or Makoto Nanaya? Or Tsubaki Yayoi?" Shizuka thought for a moment, and realized those must be other members of the NOL.

"Um, no… but if you'd like, I could help you find out where they are!" she replied as she smiled softly at him. "Oh no, that's alright. I was just asking, since I thought I might be able to find them from another member of the NOL. But, thank you anyway Miss," the boy replied. Shizuka tilted her head, and smiled happily. "May I ask your name little one?" The boy nodded, and took off the hat he was wearing. "My name is Carl Clover, please forgive my rudeness. And, may I ask yours in return?" Shizuka smiled softly, and gently rubbed Carl's hair. "My name is Shizuka. Shizuka Kaori."

Carl gave her a small smile, and she heard a small growl come from him. "Hmm… Carl… are you hungry?" she asked as she softly poked his nose. Carl backed up from her a bit, and nodded as he looked away. "A bit… but I would hate to ask for something from you. That's rude and inconsiderate," he replied. Shizuka smiled and laughed softly. "Don't worry, it'll be my treat for you, Carl. Consider it thanks for making my day a lot better," she replied.

Carl's smile grew a bit bigger, and he nodded. "Come on Ada! Miss. Shizuka is gonna buy lunch for us!" Shizuka's eyes followed the large, emotionless humanoid-puppet that came from somewhere behind him. "U-um… who would this be Carl?" she asked as she tried to avoid staring at her. "Oh! This is my sister, Ada! Ada, this is Miss Shizuka!" There was no reply from the large humanoid, and Shizuka cleared her throat. "Um… come on then Carl. Let's go to eat," she said as she started walking towards Orient Town.

Shizuka and Carl were now enjoying their hot meal in the same restaurant her and Hazama had eaten in two days ago. Shizuka took a small bite of her meat, and then looked around. "_It was right there… that was the table where it almost happened_…" she thought as she stared at the table her and Hazama had been sitting in, now occupied by another couple who were happily holding hands.

"Miss Shizuka? Miss Shizuka, are you alright?" She was snapped out of her trance by Carl's voice, and she looked up at him. "Forgive me Carl, I was just thinking about something, that's all," she replied as she smiled softly. Carl nodded, and leaned back in his chair. "I wanted to thank you Miss Shizuka. You didn't have to do this for me, and yet you did. Thank you for being so kind to me." Shizuka shook her head, and smiled softly. "No Carl. It was you who were kind to me. You brightened up my day." Both of them stood up, and Shizuka gently placed her hand on Carl's head. "If you ever need me, just call, okay?" Carl gave her a nod, and they both walked outside.

"Bye Miss Shizuka! Thanks again!" Carl called as he walked off with his sister. Shizuka smiled softly, and sighed happily. "_He was so adorable… but I guess I should be getting back to headquarters now_," She thought as she began walking back the way she came. She didn't get very far before she felt herself get yanked up off the ground and was now being held in someone's arms. "What the hell?! Let go of me!" she said as she struggled to free herself.

She then noticed the large, red arms of the person holding her. "Hey… Tager…?" she asked as she looked up at the man's face. "Yes. Forgive me for dropping in so rudely, but I need to bring you with me. Someone has requested to see you," he replied as he kept looking ahead. Shizuka held onto his arms tightly, and sighed. "_Who wants to see me…? I mean seriously… I'm going to get into trouble_…"

"We're here," Tager said as he landed on the floor with a loud thud. He placed Shizuka down on the ground, and she looked around. "Hey… wait a minute… isn't this…" "Well, well, well… long time no see, Shizzy."

Shizuka looked in front of her, seeing a large computer monitor, and two fluffy pink tails gently waving about. "It's been a while hasn't it?" The chair was pushed back, and the woman stood up, turning to face her.

"_**Welcome to my lab, Shizzy. We need to talk**_."


	13. What I Feel is Real

"Madame Rachel, whatever is the matter? Something seems amiss in those lovely eyes of yours." Rachel's gaze moved from her cup of tea to Valkenhayn's elderly face. "Nothing is the matter Valkenhayn," she replied coolly as she lifted the cup to her lips, taking a small sip of the warm liquid. "Madame, I know when something is amiss with you. I have served you for a long time, and don't think I don't know when something is bothering you," he replied as he placed a single ruby red strawberry on her plate.

"Would it happen to be something with that woman and Kokonoe?" This got Rachel's attention, and her hand slowly moved to place her cup back onto her tea plate. "Actually, yes Valkenhayn. That is just it. Kokonoe does nothing but ramble on about how she doesn't want her acquaintance to be put into a horrid position with Terumi, when in fact it was her fault to begin with. Kokonoe does not realize, nor does she _want_ to see, that it was _her_ who enrolled Shizuka into the NOL. She could have hacked into the system and changed whose assistant she was, but she refused to do so."

Valkenhayn released a very small sigh, and poured Rachel's cup full of more tea. "Well, Madame, perhaps something will come of this?" he asked as he looked down at her. "Perhaps, Valkenhayn. Perhaps. But, the real question is, who will prevail? Is Kokonoe really willing to risk the trust of her best friend for her own gain and satisfaction?"

"Kokonoe? What am I doing here? I really need to get back to the NOL, or I'm gonna get in trouble! And where the hell have you been? You haven't talked to me in weeks!" Shizuka exclaimed as she stared at the pink-haired Beastkin in front of her. "Hah. Where have I been? I've been watching you. I've been watching you work for that bastard that you call a boss," Kokonoe replied as he eyes narrowed to nothing more than angry slits.

"Bastard of a boss…? Wait, you mean Captain Hazama? Kokonoe, don't talk about him like that! He's a really good man! He's done nothing but look out for me and-" "He's playing you for a sap, Shizuka!" Shizuka was stopped dead in the middle of her sentence, and she stared at Kokonoe. "What are you talking about? He's saved my damn life! He's taken good care of me!" she exclaimed.

"Hah. Do you even know who… whoops. Scratch that. Do you even know _what_ that man is?" Shizuka looked at her, completely confused and a bit agitated. "That man that you call a boss… his real name is Yuki Terumi." Shizuka immediately remembered Hakumen calling him Terumi in the forest, and she backed up a few steps. "So? That doesn't mean anything…" "Goddamn it Shizuka!" Kokonoe retorted as she slammed her fist down on her desk.

"That man… he murdered… he murdered my mother!" Shizuka's eyes widened, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "That man… he's killed so many people… my mother… a woman by the name of Trinity Glassfield… he uses people Shizuka! He used Trinity, then murdered her when she least expected it! That's all he does goddamn it! He uses people to get what he wants, and then he rids himself of them when they're no longer useful to him! Do you think I want that for you? Huh?!"

Shizuka looked down, not really knowing how to reply. "Kokonoe…" Kokonoe looked at her, her tails twitching in anger. "You… you can tell me whatever you want about him… all the shit that he's done… everything. But everyone deserves to be given chances! Who's to say that he can't change?! I was given a chance when you put me in the NOL! I was given a chance when I met Captain Hazama! I can't hate him Kokonoe! I just can't! Because…" Kokonoe glared at her, and sighed madly. "Because you love that damn bastard?"

Shizuka looked at her, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white, and tears rolling down her cheeks. "Yes! I love him! I love him, no matter what you say he's done! I can look past that! I can look past all of it!" Kokonoe stared at her, and took a deep breath. "So, you don't even care that the man you love, the man my best friend is in love with… murdered my mother?" "No! Kokonoe, I didn't say that! I just-" "Get out." Shizuka stopped immediately, and looked at her. "W-what?" "I said get out of here!" Kokonoe snapped as she whipped around and sat down in her chair. "Tager… get Shizuka out of here. Take her back to the damn NOL building," she commanded.

Shizuka shook her head and started walking towards her. "Kokonoe! Kokonoe please just listen to me!" She felt Tager's arms wrap around her waist, and she tried to push him off. "Get off of me, Tager! Kokonoe!" She felt herself be lifted off the ground, and she pounded her fists against Tager's arms. "Let go of me dammit! Kokonoe! Kokonoe!"

Shizuka's feet gently hit the ground as Tager let go of her. "I'm sorry, Shizuka. Please accept my deepest apologies," Tager said as he sighed deeply. "Just… leave me alone Tager," she replied as she started walking back into the NOL building. She padded inside, her head hanging and her arm throbbing more than ever because of how stressed she was.

She walked down the hall a bit, and slowly opened the door to her office. She shut it behind her, and slowly walked to her desk. Her eyes fell upon a sealed envelope, and she picked it up. She slid her nail under the seal, and took out a piece of paper from inside of it. "A letter…?" she muttered to herself as she sat down in her chair. She unfolded the paper, and began reading what was on it.

"_Shizuka, I wanted to tell you that I'm deeply sorry for not giving you an answer about what you told me earlier. I honestly can say that I didn't know how to respond. And I am most certainly sorry that I didn't do anything in return. When you read this, I want you to drop by my office. I have something for you, and hopefully it will make up for the pain I've caused you. _

_~Sincerely, Hazama_."

Shizuka immediately stood up and ran to her door, throwing it open and running down the hall. She didn't even bother to knock or wait for him to tell her to enter. She thrust open his door, and ran in front of his desk. "Shizuka? Why didn't you knock?" Hazama asked at he looked up at her. She took small breaths, and her lip trembled as she clenched her fists. She felt more tears begin rolling down her cheeks, and she ran behind his desk, throwing herself upon him and embracing him tightly. "I'm sorry… I just… I just really need this…" she managed to say through her tears.

She felt nothing, and then she felt his hands grab her cheeks and he forced her to look at him. "Shizuka… I take it you read my letter, and I also take it that you know I have something for you, correct?" Shizuka nodded slowly, and he looked at her for a moment. "Well, this is my gift. From me, to you." She squeaked as she felt his lips press against hers, and a crimson red blush crossed her entire face.

Her eyes slowly closed, and she returned the favor as she pressed her lips against his gently.

"_**I don't care who he is. I don't care what he is. I don't give a damn what he's done. I love him for who he is. And nothing will ever change that**_."


	14. Not All Things Can Go Unanswered

It was now early morning, and the light shone through the window, illuminating all that was inside the small office. Shizuka's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she felt that her head was laying on something soft. Softer than her normal chair of a bed, anyway. She slowly rose herself to a sitting position, and raised her arms above her head, releasing a long breath of relief as her muscles stretched out and she heard her back crack a bit.

Looking behind her, she noticed what looked like several blankets spread out on the ground, and several more rolled up to make a soft pillow. "What…? I didn't do this…" Shizuka muttered, her voice heavy with sleep. She rubbed her eye, and slowly stood up, releasing a small groan as she did so. "Ah, damn… that was the best I've slept in a long time…" she continued as she hobbled over to her desk.

She noticed a small package on her desk, and she ran her hand across her face as she attempted to wake herself up. "What the heck is this thing…?" she asked as she picked it up and looked it over. She saw a small piece of paper attached to it, and she read what it said on it.

"_Hey, Shizzy! I heard that you were really stressed out yesterday about something, so I decided to get you something that will hopefully cheer you up!" _

_~Zara_"

Shizuka stared at the small package in her hands, and she slowly started taking the paper off of it. "A box…? Wow, Zara… what a lovely gift," she muttered sleepily as she began opening the dull-looking box. She opened the top, and what she saw immediately awoke her from her drowsy state. "What the heeeeeellll?!" She heard laughter coming from her doorway, and she looked up, only to see Zara nearly toppling over from her guffawing.

"Zara?! What the hell did you get this for?!" Shizuka squeaked, her face turning a bright shade of crimson. Once Zara had managed to calm down a bit, she took a deep breath and held her sides. "Oh God… you really wanna know why I got you that? Like I said, since I'm a student here, news spreads quickly… and guess what I found out? I found out Captain Hazama kissed you yesterday! So… I thought you needed that… just in case you decide to have a bit of fun," she said as she grinned and winked at her.

Shizuka's blush deepened a shade or two, and she gulped. "Holy hell Zara! You're taking this way too far!" she managed to say as she placed the box inside her desk. "Oh, am I…? Then why the hell are you putting it inside your desk?" she asked with a sly smirk. Shizuka took a deep breath to keep herself from squeaking with embarrassment, and looked at her, trying to keep a calm and collected look. "Y-you see Zara, I am keeping it because…" She stopped, not knowing how to respond without it immediately sounding wrong.

"You see?! Oh God, this is just too good!" Zara replied, busting out into more laughter and finally toppling onto the ground. Shizuka, trying her best to remove to blush from her face, walked in front of Zara and helped her up. "Hey, do you know who brought me in here and made this little bed thing? I don't remember much after what happened with Captain Hazama…" Zara looked at her, and a happy smile spread across her lips. "Yeah! Your boss did! I saw him carrying you back to your office! You were dead asleep in his arms, and I stalked you two for a while. He was the one who set all this up for you. It was the cutest thing I ever saw!" she replied as she held her cheeks and giggled.

Shizuka smiled softly, and released a sigh of happiness. "_See…? I knew he wasn't a bad guy… why would he be doing all of this for me if he is do bad_?" she thought as she folded her arms across her chest. "Hey, Shizuka, do you think you can take off those bandages now?" Zara asked as she gently touched her wounded arm. "Hmm… I guess I can… I mean, it doesn't hurt like it did," Shizuka replied as she slowly began taking off the gauze. Once it had been removed, she saw that nothing more than a small scab where the once gaping wound had been.

"Wow… Ms. Litchi really does her job well, considering how fast this thing healed itself," Shizuka said as she moved her arm around to test it out." Hey, hey, hey… I wouldn't move it around like that. You might still be able to open the wound, ya know." Both Shizuka and Zara turned around, only to see a small boy standing in her doorway. Shizuka gasped, and she smiled happily. "Carl!" she exclaimed as she got on her knees in front of him and hugged him tightly.

"H-hey! Not so hard…! I can't breathe!" he rasped as he managed a small smile. "Oh! I'm sorry!" Shizuka replied as she quickly loosened her grip on him. She took off his hat, and gently rubbed his hair. "H-hey! Don't do that!" Carl said as he worked to fix his hair with his fingers. "Aww… hey! Don't forget to introduce me!" Zara said as she walked beside her and crossed her arms. "Oh yeah! Carl, this is Zara. Zara, this is Carl!" Shizuka said as she completed the introduction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Carl," Zara said as she smiled at him. "Please, the pleasure is all mine, Miss Zara," Carl replied as he bowed at his waist. Zara giggled, and sighed softly. "Such a nice young gentleman!" she said as she gently poked his nose. "Wait a second! Carl! What the hell are you doing in here?! If someone sees you, you're gonna get into big trouble!" Shizuka said as she began looking around. "I know, Ms. Kaori. But, I came here looking for you. You see, I have something I'd like you to do for me."

Shizuka tilted her head, and gently placed his hat back upon his head. "Yes Carl? What would you like my help with?" Carl sighed quietly, and looked up at her. "You see, Sis and I have been on a mission for a while now, and we decided we needed your help." Shizuka looked at him, her curiosity rising. "Yes… and what is it that you need help with exactly…?"Carl's expression grew serious, and he stared at her in the eyes.

"_**I need your help to find my father, Relius Clover**_."


	15. Some People Are Just Sick Bastards

Shizuka stared at the blonde-haired boy in front of her, and grabbed him by his cheeks. "Carl… are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, I've heard of Relius Clover, and um… I'm not so sure that if we find him, things will end up coming out in our favor," Shizuka explained as a hint of worry appeared in her eyes. Carl shook his head and turned around, looking at his "sister." "I don't think so. Sis and I have been preparing for this for a long time now, and I won't let that bastard go this time," he said as he smiled at the large humanoid in front of him.

Shizuka was about to say something else, but then gave a small sigh. "Well, I did tell you that if you ever needed me to call, so I'll help you Carl. But, I will only do it on one condition." Carl looked at her over his shoulder, and gave a slight nod. "Yes? And what condition would that be, Ms. Shizuka?" Shizuka looked at him, and said sternly, "If something starts going wrong, we retreat. No questions asked. I won't risk the lives of those I hold close to me, nor will I allow them to be put into danger. You're lucky I'm even agreeing to come along with you. But, like I said. If one thing starts going wrong, _one_ thing, we retreat. Understand?"

Carl continued looking at her for a moment, and then nodded. "Alright. I will agree to that, Ms. Shizuka. But, Ms. Shizuka, I read up a bit about you since I became interested in your work here, and I saw that you're a user of Ars Magus. Do you even use it?" Zara looked at Shizuka as well, a confused look on her face. "Yeah. Come to think of it, I've never seen you use Ars Magus. Not once, Shizuka. So, what's going on?"

Shizuka blinked, and then sighed quietly. "Yes. I am a wielder of Ars Magus. I can use it whenever the hell I please. But, I choose not to. You wanna know why? Because my parents hated Ars Magus with all their hearts. Unless I am pushed to my absolute limit, I refuse to use my Ars Magus," she said as she raised her hand to touch the amulet around her neck. "I'll make my parents proud…" Carl and Zara looked at her for a few moments more, and nothing was said.

Deciding to break the silence, Shizuka smiled and said, "Well, come on then. Carl, do you know where your father would be?" Carl scoffed, and went back to looking at his "sister." "Are you kidding me? That man moves around so damn much I have no idea where he would be. One minute he's in one place, and when Sis and I finally get there, he's in another. The cycle continues, and it's like he's playing a game with me. I hate it."

Shizuka sighed quietly, and walked past him, gently touching his shoulder. "Stay here. I'll be right back, okay?" She began walking down the hall, and put her hand against her forehead. "_Relius… I remember hearing Captain Hazama say his name on the phone… that must be the friend who calls him every once in a while. Hopefully… just hopefully_…" she thought as she got outside of her boss's office. She heard Hazama's voice from inside, and gently pressed her ear against the wood.

"_Ah, heading over to Kagutsuchi Port? Well, just make sure you don't get into trouble on your way there_." Shizuka sighed in relief, and turned around to begin walking away. She then stopped as she heard him begin saying something about her. "_Ugh, once again you're getting onto me about a decision I myself made. Goddamn it Relius. Alright, alright. You wanna know the truth? The only reason I did that to Shizuka was to keep her happy. Why do you even give a damn anyway_?" Shizuka felt her heart stop beating for a moment, and her breath caught in her throat.

Her face then grew cold, and she walked away from his door. "_But, Relius… I really don't think that you or I can deny it much longer. Something is wrong with me… and I really think that feeling is coming back_…"

"Come on Carl. I know where your father is," Shizuka said as she walked past Carl and Zara. "Hey! Hold on! Wait for us!" they both exclaimed as they ran after her. Shizuka honestly didn't want to pay any mind to them. She wanted to punch a hole in something, and she wanted to make it hurt. "He's heading to Kagutsuchi Port. We need to get there now, if we even want a chance of meeting him there," Shizkua said, a cold tone to her voice.

"Ms. Shizuka… is something the matter? You seem so down all of a sudden. Did something happen while you were gone?" Carl asked as he looked up at her. Shizuka stopped walking, and bowed her head, not replying to him. She then knelt down in front of him, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him against her chest. "Carl… when you grow up, don't ever be someone who lies. Even if you think it makes someone happy, do not lie to someone… and don't throw the word "love" around aimlessly okay?" Carl looked up at her, and had a confused look on his face.

"I'm not entirely sure what brought this up, Ms. Shizuka, but I promise," he replied. Shizuka gave him a small smile, and slowly stood up. "Thank you Carl… now come on you two. We have to get to Kagutsuchi Port so we can kick the shit out of Relius," she said, her eyes narrowing to angry slits. Carl walked beside Zara, and looked up at her. "Ms. Zara… why is she acting like this?" he asked.

Zara sighed, and watched Shizuka walk ahead of them. "Well Carl… there's something you need to know about women. When they find out something horrible about something or someone they care about… they're out for vengeance. I'm guessing that's what's going on with her, because I've never seen her like this…" she replied with a small sigh.

After a while of walking, Carl, Shizuka, and Zara all arrived at Kagutsuchi Port. Shizuka was anxiously looking around for Relius, her fists clenched to the point her knuckles were white. "I don't see him… there's almost no one here, so I'd be able to see him instantly…" Carl said as he looked around. "Ah, so. You're the one who has been screwing things around hmm?"

All three of them whipped around, only to see a blonde-haired man standing in front of them. "Relius…" Shizuka growled, the anger in her voice very obvious. Relius gave a small smirk, and pointed his index finger at her. "You're Shizuka Kaori, correct? How touching. You're the one who has been trying to seduce Hazama…" Hearing those words, she launched herself towards him, pulling back her right arm in preparation for her strike. "I'm not seducing him, you damn bastard!" she exclaimed as she threw her fist forward.

She was stopped by an armored hand, and she came face to face with yet another humanoid figure, almost like Carl's. She backed up a few steps and lost her balance, falling onto the ground. "Calm down, Ms. Kaori. You might hurt yourself," Relius said, a grin spreading across his face. Shizuka bared her teeth, seething with anger.

"_**You wouldn't want to mess up that pretty little face that Hazama is so fond of, now would you**_?"


	16. True Feelings? Or Nothing at All?

Shizuka glared at Relius, her entire body filled with an indescribable rage towards the man standing in front of him. "It's your fault! You're using him! He's not your goddamn puppet!" she exclaimed as she rose to her feet. Relius gave a low chuckle, and his humanoid puppet returned to its place behind him. "You think he's my puppet? My dear girl, you have so much to learn. There are many pawns on this playing field, but the question is, who is the one getting played?"

Shizuka instantly knew what he was referring to, and she scoffed. "Are you kidding me…? He probably just said that to keep you off his damn back! I mean, seriously! You're constantly at his throat, wanting to know everything and anything that's been going on. You think I don't hear him talking to you almost every damn day? That would get annoying as hell!" Relius scowled, and he raised his hand. "You should say the same thing about you. Your constant yapping is giving me a headache…" he said as he thrust his hand forward. "Finish her, Ignis."

Shizuka crossed her arms in front of her to brace for the coming onslaught, but none came. "Don't you dare touch her, you bastard!" Carl exclaimed as he leapt in front of her, his "sister" blocking Ignis's attack. "Go get him, Ada!" Carl commanded as he thrust his arm forward. Ada launched herself at both Relius and Ignis, her arms thrashing about in an attempt to damage either one of them.

Relius leapt back, Ignis following his lead, and he swept his coat in front of his body. "I've no time for this… you're all nothing more than yapping dogs willing to do anything for a fight. Shizuka. I would take extra caution the next time you decide to toss your "friends" into danger like that. Or, if you're so willing, are they even your friends?"

With those words, Relius vanished, and left the trio standing there alone. "Goddamn it! He's gone again!" Carl growled as he tossed his hat onto the ground. Zara ran to Shizuka's side, and looked her over. "Shizuka, Shizuka are you alright?" she asked as she looked at her. Shizuka nodded slowly, and looked down. "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry for bringing you two into this. He's right. I'm a bastard, and I don't deserve to be called your friend," she said as a few tears fell from her eyes, making small spots on the ground below them.

Zara sighed, and gave her a gentle smile. "Hey now, don't say that. You did what you could to help Carl. What you were doing was trying to help him find his father, and you did." Shizuka felt a hand on her arm, and she looked down to see Carl taking a soft grip on her sleeve. "Ms. Zara is right. You were only trying to help me, you know. And, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have even been able to find my father. Even though you work for the NOL, you're someone who actually cares about people. You're much like Ms. Litchi and Master Bang, and I'm happy there are still adults like you who I can trust," he said as he gave her a small smile.

Shizuka wiped her eyes with her hand, ridding them of her tears, and smiled softly. "T-thank you, you two…" she replied quietly. Zara smiled, and gently poked her cheek. "Hey, come on. I know something that will cheer you up. Let's go to that restaurant you really like in Orient Town, okay?" Shizuka laughed softly, and gave her a nod in reply. "Alright, come one then," she replied as she began walking.

Shizuka sighed happily as she finished what was left in her bowl, and leaned back in her chair. "Ah man, the cuisine here is really good. They aren't lying when they say to some to Orient Town for the best food…" she said as she put her hands behind her head. She then noticed that Zara was keeping a very close eye on one of the waiters in the restaurant, a man with golden hair and extremely fluffy sideburns.

Shizuka gave a small smirk, and cleared her throat. "Damn Zara, you really are watching that waiter… kinda like a hawk watches its prey for the perfect moment to strike…" she said slyly. A bright red blush spread across Zara's face, and she instantly began eating from her bowl. "I-it's nothing!" she replied as she looked at Shizuka, a guilty smile crossing her lips. Shizuka raised her eyebrow, and giggled. "Oh, I see. You think he's cute, don't you?" Zara squeaked, and stood up quickly. "O-okay, okay! I think it's time to go!" she said as she left a large sum of money on the table and dragged both Shizuka and Carl out of the restaurant.

Shizuka laughed, and gently nudged her shoulder. "That's for all the teasing you gave me…" she said. Zara sighed softly, and gently nudged her shoulder in return. Carl cleared his throat, interrupting the two ladies. "Pardon me you two, but I think I should be on my way. I have a lot to do, so Sis and I need to get going. And Ms. Shizuka, thank you for what you did today," he said as he bowed at his waist to show his respect.

Shizuka gently rubbed his hair, and hugged him softly. "Don't worry about it Carl. If you ever need me again, just call. Okay?" Carl gave a small nod, and turned around to walk away with his "sister" not far behind him. Shizuka gave a small sigh, and looked at Zara. "Come on Zara, we should get back to headquarters, otherwise well both be in trouble…" Zara nodded, and they both began walking up the street.

Shizuka rubbed the back of her neck as she headed towards her office. "Man oh man, today was really… I don't even know what to say about today," she muttered as she opened her door. She then stopped, staring at Hazama as she saw him behind her desk. "Shizuka… what the hell is this?" Her eyes widened as she noticed the box that she had placed in her desk drawer in his hand, and she glared at him.

"It's nothing. Now please, I would kindly ask that you stop going through my things," she said coldly as she padded in front of him and snatched the box from his hand, placing it back inside her drawer. Hazama blinked, and touched her shoulder. "Hey, is something the matter? What's wrong with you?" She jerked her shoulder away from him, and didn't answer his question. Hazama then grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Shizuka." She looked at him, staring into his amber-colored eyes.

"How dare you ask me what's wrong…" she replied as tears began to form in her eyes. Hazama looked confused, and Shizuka felt her bottom lip begin to quiver. "Y-you… you bastard… you kissed me. You were my first one, goddamn it. And then I hear you say that it was nothing?" Hazama quickly understood, and he sighed. "Shizuka… I hope you realize I didn't mean it. Not a word of it. Relius… Relius is a very stubborn man. And you obviously didn't stay to hear the rest of what I said." Shizuka looked at him, and he ran his thumb across her cheek to rid them of her tears.

"_**I told Relius that neither he nor I could deny the fact that I'm falling in love with you, Shizuka**_."


	17. Every Question Must Have an Answer

Zara wandered the halls of the NOL building, looking around for Shizuka. "_Goddamn it, where the hell is she? I wanna go out to eat to see that sexy waiter again_…" she thought as she poked her head into Shizuka's office, seeing it was empty. She blinked as she heard something coming from down the hall, and she raised her eyebrow curiously. "_What the hell_…?" she continued thinking as she softly padded down the hall.

As she neared Captain Hazama's room, she could have sworn she heard Shizuka's voice. "Shizuka…?" she muttered to herself as she came closer to his door. She immediately stopped upon hearing, "_Sir… I r-really don't think we should be doing this right now_…" She felt her face become hot, and she pressed her ear against the door. "_S-seriously Sir… I really don't think we should do this here_…" Zara felt a grin spread across her lips, and she chuckled evilly. "_Holy hell… are they actually going at it in there_…?" she thought as she pressed herself against the door more.

She heard something tear, much like a wrapper, and her face flushed bright red. "_Yes, and we aren't going to do it anywhere else. Now, hold still, alright_?" Zara stood there for a moment, and then felt her heart start beating quickly as she heard what sounded like a low groan come from inside. "_Slow down damn it! It hurts_…" she heard Shizuka exclaim. Zara's grin widened, but little did she notice the door slowly beginning to open because of how much force she was using to press herself against it.

"_Calm down, Shizuka. It will only hurt for a few more seconds_…" she heard Hazama reply in a low voice. She heard another small groan, and Zara squeaked as the door flew open and she tumbled onto the floor inside. "Well, well, well, seems we have a peeking Tom…" Zara heard Hazama say. She looked up, and saw Shizuka sitting on Hazama's desk, and Hazama was bandaging her arm again. "B-but… I heard moaning… and… those suggestive words…" Zara stammered as she rose to her feet.

"Zara!" Shizuka exclaimed as she turned a bright shade of red. "H-he was just helping me bandage my arm! My wound opened again after I tripped and knocked it against the corner of the door…" she continued as she looked completely embarrassed. Zara watched Hazama make another few rounds around her arm with the gauze, and he then rubbed the back of his neck. "There, that should do it for a while. But, please, don't be so clumsy anymore, okay?" Shizuka hopped off his desk, and nodded. "Y-yes Sir. I'm sorry for causing such a ruckus Sir," she replied as she laughed a bit.

Zara then ran beside Shizuka, gently grabbing her un-hurt arm. "Shizzy! Come on! Let's go out to eat at that restaurant again! I'm hungry!" she whined as she tugged her towards the direction of the door. "Hey, hey, hey! You only want to go back there to see that waiter again!" Shizuka replied as she pulled the opposite direction. "Besides, I have a mission to do! Captain Hazama just assigned me to a new mission…" Zara stopped, and immediately glared at the green-haired man in front of her.

"So… you're meaning to tell me, after you just fixed her arm that you know good and well is pretty much unusable right now, you're just gonna send her on another mission?!" Zara exclaimed as she scoffed madly. "Would you calm down…? And please, lower your voice. I took that into consideration when I gave her this assignment, and it's nothing serious. I'm merely having her do some recon down in the Lost Town…" Zara's eyes immediately narrowed, and she released an angry breath.

"You're kidding me, right? The Lost Town is near Area 28. You know how dangerous it is for humans to go down there," she hissed as she crossed her arms. Hazama sighed, and nodded. "I know, and I discussed this fact with Shizuka already. She's willing to go, and as long as she doesn't stay down there for a long period of time, she'll be fine. I wouldn't put my assistant into danger willingly," he replied as he returned to his chair and sat down.

Zara growled quietly, and grabbed Shizuka's hand. "Come on Shizzy. We need to talk," she muttered as she dragged her out of his room and shut the door. "Are you crazy? You know Lost Town is there for a reason, right? Do you know how high the levels of Seithr are down there?" she asked as she looked at her, a worried look on her face. "Yes, Zara. And, I want to do this mission. Remember, it's just recon. I won't be down there for long. Nothing will happen to me, I promise." Zara sighed quietly, and nodded slowly. "Alright, fine. Just, promise me that you won't go looking for trouble," she said sternly.

Shizuka gave her a soft smile, and she gently hugged her with her good arm. "I promise I'll be fine, Zara. Don't worry about it. I have too much to live for now. Too much to lost, and too much to protect," she replied as she turned around and began walking towards her office. Zara sighed quietly, and placed her hand on her hip. "Damn that girl. She's too stubborn for her own good…"

"Madame Rachel, once again I sense something is amiss." The she-vampire's tea cup was now being filled again as she stared into it, seemingly becoming lost in the light-brown colored liquid. "Valkenhayne, if someone were to say they loved me, what would you do?" This question seemed to puzzle her servant, but he replied, "If someone were to say that they loved my mistress, I would make it my utmost priority to see that they treated you correctly. I would also see to it that I made sure they had no ulterior motives, or any masochist plans that involved you."

Rachel gave a very small and faint chuckle, and took a small sip of her tea. "Very good Valkenhayne…" Her servant watched her closely, and asked, "Madame, what brought that question up if I may ask?" Rachel gently placed her cup back on her tea-plate, and stared at a few rose petals that had drifted onto her white table.

"_**Let's just say, that I'm curious about something. If someone has not loved someone truly before, would that person ever be able to find that feeling**_?"


	18. Always Have People You Can Trust

Shizuka was now wandering around the streets of the Lost Town, and she made sure no one was around to notice her. "Hmm… it seems the Kaka Clan seems to be doing fine down here," she thought as she glanced around at several Kaka kittens tussling about. She gave a small cough, and sighed deeply. "I haven't been down here for long at all, and the Seithr is already beginning to affect me…" she muttered as she placed her hand over her mouth.

She kept wandering around, and took interest in a certain Kaka with several little kittens surrounding her. "Tao! Tao, come play with us!" she heard one little kitten call. "Yeah, Tao! Come on! We haven't played together in a long time!" another one said. She saw the older Kaka place her large hand on the little kitten's head, and her tail swished from side to side. "Quite down, tiny one. I smell someone… someone new…" Shizuka immediately hid behind a wall, and barely poked her head around the corner, just so she could try to catch a glimpse of the larger Kaka.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed as she stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground, only to be pounced on by the large, female Kaka. She heard sniffing, and felt the Kaka's breath on her neck. "You smell pretty!" she said as she jumped off of her. Shizuka slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off her clothes, and looked back at the female Kaka."T-thank you… my name is Shizuka. Shizuka Kaori," she said as she smiled at the Kaka.

The Kaka's ear twitched, and she flicked her tail back and forth. "Shi… Shi… I know! I'm gonna call you Pretty Lady!" Shizuka gave a small giggle, and sighed softly. "You're referring to my scent, right?" The Kaka nodded, and placed her large hand on her chest. "Tao!" Shizuka tilted her head, and nodded. "That's your name, right? Tao? I heard the little kittens calling you that." "Oh yeah! Tiny ones! Come over here by Tao!" she called in a sing-songy voice.

The kittens soon were beside her, and all were looking at Shizuka with great interest. "Tao, who is this lady?" one of them asked. "Yeah Tao! Who is she?" the others chimed in. "This is Pretty Lady!" Tao replied as she nudged Shizuka gently with her large paw. "Oh yes! I almost forgot!" Shizuka squeaked and blushed bright red as she felt the female Kaka's hands begin groping her breasts. "T-Tao?! What the hell are you doing?!" she exclaimed as she tried to push her off.

"Hmm… these are on the small side… not nearly as big as Boobie Lady's… they're okay I suppose… they're really soft though!" Tao said as she continued to fondle and grope Shizuka's breasts. "T-Tao, please, get off of me! This is embarrassing!" Shizuka replied as she managed to get away from the groping paws of the female Kaka. After taking a deep breath, Shizuka looked at the little group of Kakas. "Well, it was really nice meeting all of you! But I have to get going okay?"

She saw Tao's right ear fall back, and she looked confused. "Go? Where is Pretty Lady going?" Shizuka smiled a bit, and coughed once again. "I have to get back to the surface. I have some work I have to turn in," she replied as she began walking back the way she came. "Hey, Pretty Lady doesn't look so good…" Tao said as she wrapped her arms around Shizuka's waist. "O-oh Tao, I'm fine. I just have to get out of here before the Seithr down here starts affecting me…" she replied as she covered her mouth. "Sei…thr…?" Tao repeated as her ears twitched slightly.

Shizuka nodded, and began coughing harshly. "Damn it… Tao, I really have to go…" Tao's grip did not loosen. "Pretty Lady, come back to Tao's home. I don't think this Seithr thingie is what's doing this to you. I'll get you some food, and then you can go okay?" Shizuka sighed, and felt her head. "_Damn it… if I'm getting sick_…" she thought as she looked over her shoulder at Tao. "Alright… will this make me better…?" she asked as she began walking with Tao. "Oh yes! Kaka cooking is very good for the body! Believe me!" Tao replied happily as she jumped giddily in a circle around Shizuka.

After a while of being in Tao's home, and partaking in the Kaka cuisine, Shizuka rose to her feet and sighed softly. "Tao, thank you for what you did. I'm feeling a lot better now, and I got to try a new type of food! Another mark on my culinary list!" she exclaimed as she smiled at the female Kaka. "But really, I must be on my way now, okay? Maybe we'll meet again another time, Tao," she continued as she walked towards the door. "Yeah, Pretty Lady! Don't forget this!" Tao said as she ran towards her holding something shiny in her paw.

"My amulet… it must have fallen off again when I fell…" she said as she took it and placed it around her neck again. "And this fell off Pretty Lady too!" Tao said as she grabbed Shizuka's hand and placed the ring Hazama had given her on her finger. "The ring… thank you so much Tao. I seriously need to take his advice and stop being such a damn clumsy-ass…" Shizuka muttered as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Tao's tail swished back and forth and she gave a wide grin at Shizuka. "Go on then Pretty Lady! You should head back! Tao doesn't want you to get in trouble…" she said as she gently pawed at her shoulder. Shizuka giggled, and nodded as she walked outside with Tao. "Hey Tao, make sure to come see me sometime okay? You seem like you like to eat, based on what I saw earlier. I'll be happy to treat you to lunch someday!" Tao's smile instantly widened, and she jumped onto Shizuka's shoulders.

"Pretty Lady, you're too nice! You'd really treat Tao to lunch? You're way too nice!" Shizuka laughed quietly as she continued to listen to Tao's list of compliments, and she had to place her hand over her mouth just to get her to stop talking. "Hush Tao…" she said as she smiled softly. "I better get going! See ya, Tao!" she said as she walked away, waving to the female Kaka behind her.

"_**It seems like I meet new people every day. And all of them are so kind to me. I'm just happy that everyone I've met I can trust with my life**_!"


	19. Maybe Something Good CAN Come From This

"Sir! I have your report ready to give you!" Shizuka called as she welcomed herself into her boss's office. "Goddamn it Shizuka! You trying to scare me to death or something? That's why you knock…" Hazama replied quickly as he looked up at her. Shizuka gave a small giggle, and placed her report down on his desk. "Here you are Sir, everything that I gathered about the Lost Town is inside this report," she said as she pushed the papers slowly towards him with her index finger.

Hazama took the papers in his hand, and scanned through them quickly. "Very good. Now, I'd like you to return to your office for a bit. Or wander around, whichever you'd prefer." Shizuka tilted her head, and raised her eyebrow. "But, why Sir? Don't you have any more work for me to complete?" Hazama shook his head, and placed the papers inside of his desk. "Not at the moment, but I may have something later, alright? And I will visit you later, so make sure you're in your office at that time, okay?"

Shizuka gave a nod, and turned around to exit his office. "See ya later Sir!" she exclaimed as she exited his office and shut the door behind her. Hazama stared at his door for a moment, and then shook his head. "That girl… she's too carefree for her own good…"

Shizuka nearly skipped down the hall, and threw open the door to her office. "God, today is a great day!" she said to herself as she walked behind her desk and plopped down into her chair. She sighed happily, and opened the drawer to her desk, squeaking as she found what Zara had given her as a "get better" gift. "Aw, damn. I forgot about this…" she muttered as she stared at the box. "I highly doubt these will come in any use any time soon…" she continued as she slid the drawer shut.

She gave a small yawn, and leaned back in her chair. "_I wonder what he wants to talk to me about… I hope I didn't do anything wrong_…" she thought as she slowly closed her eyes. It wasn't long after she closed her eyes that she heard her door open, and she barely opened her eye, just enough to see who was standing in the doorframe. "Oh! Captain! I didn't expect you to come so soon!" she exclaimed as she sat up. "Hmm? I said I could come at any given time, did I not?" he replied as he shut the door behind him.

"Oh yeah… well please Sir! Forgive my current state!" she said as she gave a nervous grin. Hazama padded up in front of her desk, and placed his hands on it, looking at her sternly. "Shizuka, we need to talk." Shizuka looked up at him, and nodded. "Yes Sir. What is it that we need to talk about exactly? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" Hazama gave a small scoff of amusement, and shook his head. "Well, I wouldn't say "wrong," but I should inform you about something." He walked beside her, and opened the drawer containing Zara's little "gift."

Shizuka felt her face grow hot, and she gulped. "I would recommend you keep something like this hidden away where someone couldn't find them… otherwise some rather cruel rumors could begin being spread about you," Hazama said as he glanced at her. "S-Sir! I highly doubt anyone would spread rumors about me… I mean, I don't even talk to anyone here!" she replied as she shut the drawer quickly. Hazama gave another scoff of amusement, and took a lock of her hair between his index finger and thumb. "I do wish to compliment you… you follow directions very well, and you're always willing to do anything for me," he said in a low, soft tone as he let her hair fall through his fingers.

Shizuka's face flushed red, and she looked up at him. "Well, you are my boss Sir…" she replied meekly. "Yes, and while that may be true, that doesn't mean you _must_ follow my orders, but you do anyway. So, thank you Shizuka," he replied as he moved her hair behind her ear. Shizuka smiled a little, and watched his hand, waiting for it to move away. "Hey, Shizuka, what do you say about going out to eat with me tomorrow night?" he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder gently.

"T-tomorrow? Dinner? S-sure!" Shizuka replied as she smiled happily. Hazama gave her a slight smile, and nodded as he turned around. "Very good. We leave at eight, alright?" Shizuka nodded and couldn't make her grin leave her lips. "Yes Sir!" she replied in a giddy voice. She waited until he left her room and had shut the door, then literally leapt out of her chair. "Yes! I'm gonna have dinner with him! Good God, thank you!" she exclaimed as she pumped her fists into the air with glee.

"Still watching her like a hawk, I see." Kokonoe heard the voice that was no doubt the she-vampire, and she turned around in her chair. "Does that concern you? What I do in my spare time has nothing to do with you," she replied, a hint of malice in her voice. Rachel gave a small smirk, and snapped her fingers, making a rose appear in her hand.

"Tell me something, Kokonoe. If a rose if cut from its stem, will it die?" Kokonoe growled, and crossed her arms. "Of course it will die. What do you think I am, stupid?" she asked. "Of course not. But, you're not entirely correct on that answer. If a rose is cut, and not tended to properly, then yes. It will die. But, if given proper care, it can live for many more days before its death."

"So? What the hell does this have to do with anything?" Kokonoe retorted, the anger in her voice very obvious. "Calm yourself, Kokonoe. This is nothing more than a mere comparison. Think of your friend as this rose. Will you just leave it to wither away and die? Or shall you take care of it, and allow it to live longer?" Kokonoe glared at her, and sighed madly. "What the hell do you want me to do here? I can't just force her to do anything, and-" "That is your answer."

Kokonoe stopped mid-sentence, and looked at Rachel. "The answer you seek, is to let your friend live her own life. I've told you countless times that there are many outcomes to this, no matter how slim they may be. You can sit here and seethe through your teeth at how much you hate Terumi, or you can feel joy that your friend is happy. Correct?" Rachel asked coolly, her voice calm and collected. Kokonoe gave a long sigh, and rubbed her temples.

"_**Goddamn it Rachel… I swear… every riddle you speak could be said with literally two words… but no… you gotta go and complicate everything**_."


	20. A First Date?

"Hurry your ass up, Shizuka! You're gonna be late!" Zara exclaimed as she waited outside the door to her bathroom. "I know, I know! I'm almost done," she heard Shizuka reply from inside. "Ugh! You're gonna blow everything, you freaking sloth!" Zara sighed as she laid her shoulder against the wall beside the door. "You're lucky I'm even allowing you inside my house… it's a mess…" she muttered as she tapped her index finger on her arm.

"Oh hush, Zara. Your house is just fine." Zara looked up as she saw the door slide open, and smiled at the sight before her. There stood Shizuka in her royal blue dress, her elbow-high white gloves, and her parent's amulet hanging around her neck. "Hmm… a bit… skimpy don't you think?" Zara asked as she smirked a bit and noticed how high up her dress was. "H-hey! Shut up! It's not skimpy…" she replied as she crossed her arms. "Shizzy, it's up past your knees. It's skimpy," Zara giggled as she went behind her and began brushing her hair.

Shizuka sighed quietly, and Zara gently poked her cheek. "Hey, calm down. I was just kidding Shizzy," she said softly. "I know, I know…I just want to look good, ya know? I don't want to screw anything up," Shizuka said as she glanced down at the floor. "Hey, you're not gonna screw anything up, I promise you that. Just be yourself. The worst possible thing that you can do is put on a false personality when you're out with someone," Zara said as she finished brushing her hair.

"There, you look perfect now," she continued as she padded in front of her. "Now go on, and have fun okay?" Shizuka smiled and nodded as she walked to the front door, beginning to walk out it. "But, not too much fun…" Shizuka glanced at Zara over her shoulder, seeing a grin spreading across her lips. "H-hush Zara. I'll be back later!" she exclaimed as she walked out the door and closed it behind her.

Shizuka released a long, drawn out sigh. She glanced up at the clock in the restaurant, seeing it was now 8:30. "_Where is he…? He was supposed to meet me out front 30 minutes ago… and now here I am… sitting all alone_," she thought as she began folding her napkin slowly. She folded it until it would fold no more, and then unfolded it once again. "_Maybe he isn't coming_…" she continued in her head, a heavy feeling rising in her chest.

"Shizuka!" she heard someone call her name, and turned her head in that direction, seeing Hazama padding towards her. She smiled and stood up, walking the short distance that was between them to greet him. "I'm sorry I'm so late… I had to get my suit done and they wouldn't hurry their damn asses up," he muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. Shizuka giggled and took his hand, leading him back to their table. "It's alright! I'm just happy you're here," she replied as they both took their seat on the opposite sides of the table.

"Happy I'm here? Of course I'm here. I wouldn't leave you here alone after I asked you to dinner," Hazama replied as he looked at her. "Y-yes… of course! I-I knew you wouldn't leave me here…!" she stammered nervously. "Mhm… your reaction says otherwise." She blushed, and shook her head quickly. "No! I mean…" "You stammer when you're nervous… and you also twiddle your thumbs," Hazama continued as he touched her hands, because she was indeed twiddling her thumbs. She stopped, and just looked at him, not really knowing what to say.

Right at that moment, the waiter that Zara had been staring at the time she had been here last walked beside them. "Ah, I see your date has finally arrived," he said as he took out a pen and notepad. "D-date?! N-no way!" Shizuka replied quickly as she blushed more than she previously had been. The waiter gave a small smile, and asked, "Well, that's none of my business of course. What would you to like, hmm?" Shizuka thought for a moment, and then told him what she wanted.

"Pardon me, but come here for a moment," Hazama said as he looked up at the man. The waiter came closer to him, and Hazama muttered something that Shizuka couldn't hear in his ear. "Oh, yes sir! We can do that! No problem! I'll be back shortly," he said as he walked off.

Shizuka looked at him curiously, and he noticed her. "You'll see Shizuka," he said as he laced his fingers together and put them on the table. They sat in silence for a moment, and Shizuka then got an idea. "Sir… I mean, Hazama, may I recommend something?" Hazama glanced up at her, and gave a small nod. "Sure thing. What is it?" he asked in reply. "Um… may I ask that we tell each other something? Something we would never tell anyone else?" she asked as she looked away, afraid of making herself look like a fool.

"Hmm… something I would never tell anyone else, huh? You know, that's not a bad idea," she heard him reply. She looked at him, and gave a small smile. "I'll go first then. Well, this may have been obvious to you, but I'll tell you anyway. Since I was so used to being alone, and being hated, I lost my ability to fall in love. But, Shizuka, you're honestly the first person to show me any kind of kindness in a long time. So, I think my ability is slowly being recovered… no. I really think it is." Shizuka looked at him, and then gave a soft smile.

"Well… now it's my turn. You see, I've never been much of an eyecatcher. I've never been with a man, and I was always made fun of when I was small. I was tormented pretty much on a daily basis, mostly by boys. So… I'm kind of like you. I gave up on love a long time ago, and it lasted a very long time. But… then I met you. I felt something I had never felt before, and I had no idea what it was. It took me a while… but I finally figured out what it was," she said as she gave him another soft smile.

Hazama looked at her for a moment, and then sighed. "Shizuka, I want to tell you that I'm…" he was stopped by the waiter coming back and placing a single, large bowl of noodles in front of them. "There you go sir… just as you asked." Shizuka blinked and looked at the waiter, then looked at Hazama. "W-what the…" "Well, little lady, this man here asked that I bring you both something to share," the waiter said as he turned around and padded away. "H-Hazama… you didn't have to do that…" Shizuka said quietly, feeling the blush returning to her face.

"Hmm, I know. But I thought it was be… erm… easier I suppose," he replied as he broke his chopsticks. "But, I thought you had a strict diet…" she added as she blinked slowly. "Well, I'll eat other things you know… I just like them a lot," he replied as he stood up. "Pardon me, but I believe it will be easier if I sit here, right?" he said as he sat down beside her. She took a deep breath, and gently bit her lip. "Y-yes, I suppose that's right…" she replied quietly.

She watched him begin eating, and he glanced over at her. "Well? Come on then," he said as he nodded his head towards the food in front of them. "O-oh! Forgive me…" she stammered as she broke her chopsticks and slowly began eating. "Hmm… that's another thing you have a tendency to do…" She looked at him, and he continued, "You always apologize over the little things…" She glanced away, and slowly ate a few more noodles. "I think it's… nice," he said softly as he gave her a small smile.

"T-thank you… but I don't think it's nice," she replied quietly as she stuck her chopsticks in the noodles. "Well, I do. It could be worse ya know… you could just leave things be and not say anything…" Hazama said as he copied her action. Shizuka smiled a bit, and put the noodles she picked up in her mouth. She saw one rather long one, and glared at it. "_Damn it_…" she thought as she tried to pull it into her mouth. But, no matter what she did, it wouldn't end. She then noticed it wasn't connected to the bowl.

By the time she had followed it with her eyes to see where it went, she felt Hazama's lips press against hers. She flushed ruby red, and squeaked as she quickly pulled away from him. "I-I'm so sorry!" she said quickly as she covered her face with her hands. She felt his hands gently grip hers, and he moved them away from her face. "Don't say sorry… it wasn't your fault," he said quietly. Shizuka nodded slowly, and sighed softly. "B-but I should have paid more attention…" She felt his finger press against her lips, and she looked up at him. "Who's to say that I didn't enjoy it?"

Those words sent her heart aflutter, and she smiled happily. She then noticed something on the opposite side of the restaurant, and had to look closer. "Hey… isn't that…?" She saw the waiter that had been serving them standing aside from everyone else, and he was talking to what looked like Zara. She stared at her, and saw her grab his apron. "Zara!" she exclaimed as she looked at her, a shocked look on her immediately let go of his apron, and even from across the restaurant, she saw her face turn bright red. "Shizuka?!" she squeaked.

"_**I-I swear I wasn't stalking you two! As a matter of fact, I brought you guys something! Shizzy, I can't believe you would just leave them in your desk! Hey! Shizzy! Where are you going? Don't just leave with him and not take these! Heeeeeeeeeeey**_!"


	21. Heed Well, Young One

Shizuka awoke the next morning with a small yawn. "Oh man… what happened…? I honestly don't even remember what happened after we left…" she muttered as she stretched her back. She slowly opened her eyes, only to come face to face with a gray-haired, elderly man. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed as she shot straight up. "Calm down, young one. I'm just here with a message for you," she heard him say as he held out his hand. "Would you please take my hand?"

Shizuka stared at him, her heart pounding in her throat. "_W-who the hell is this guy? Is he some pervert_?" she thought as she very slowly reached out her hand. "Don't worry, I promise I am not here to hurt you. But there is someone who needs to speak with you," he continued as he gently gripped her hand. "Now, please close your eyes for about five seconds." Shizuka looked at him for a second, and a very soft smile spread across his lips. She tilted her head, and sighed quietly as she closed her eyes.

She counted to five, and felt her feet tap against something hard. "You may open your eyes now, and thank you," she heard the man say. Shizuka slowly opened her eyes, now taking in her new surroundings. Rose petals were all over the place, along with a very dark looking castle behind her. "Well, thank you for fetching her for me, Valkenhayn." She looked towards who had said that, and saw a blonde-haired woman dressed in a very elegant, yet dark, dress.

"Please do not be afraid, Ms. Kaori. I do not intend to hurt you, nor does anything or anyone around here. I simply wish to converse with you," the girl said as she took a sip of whatever was inside her cup. She snapped her fingers, and a chair made of roses appeared on the other side of the table the girl was seated at. "Please, take a seat." Shizuka dared not argue with her, and padded over to the chair, taking a seat in it. "_Wow… surprisingly comfy for a chair made of roses_…" she thought as she watched the girl closely.

"Valkenhayn, please pour her a cup of tea." "Yes Madame," she heard the man who had brought her here say as he walked over and poured a cup full of tea for her. Shizuka watched him, then turned her attention to the girl. "Please, don't speak. I know you are confused, but all will soon be answered," she said as she took yet another sip of her tea. "Princess! Princess, this is the woman who changed everything, isn't she?" Shizuka's eyes followed a red blob of a creature that floated in front of her. "Gii, please, restrain yourself," the girl said. The little bat-like creature immediately obeyed, and floated to her side.

"Now, there is a dire matter that I wish to discuss with you, Ms. Kaori." Shizuka looked up at the girl, and her red eyes seemed to peer into her very soul. "You have become quite fond of Terumi, have you not?" This question puzzled Shizuka, and she then understood. "Oh, you mean Captain Hazama? I suppose I have, I mean, nothing serious is going on. Why?" The girl gave a small sigh, and blinked slowly, her eyelashes brushing against her cheeks.

"I have a lot to explain to you. So, I suggest you situate yourself into a comfortable position. It's time you know the truth about what you have been pulled into."

Shizuka stared at the girl in front of her, a look of utter shock on her face. "S-so… you're telling me that all this happened, all this shit about Hakumen and the deaths of my parents… all of it happened because of this… "Takamagahara?" Rachel gave a small nod, and took another sip of her tea. "There is one more thing I wish to know, Ms. Kaori. After all of this, after all of this information that I have flooded that head of yours with, do you still choose to accept your life, Terumi, and everything else that has been pushed upon your shoulders?"

Shizuka very slowly twiddled her thumbs, and released a deep sigh. "Honestly… yes." Rachel stared at her, a very tiny smile spreading across her dainty lips. "I do accept the hand I've been dealt. I accept everyone for who they are, no matter what they've done. I understand what he can be doing, I understand it all. But, I don't hold it against him. Life is full of murdering beauty and passions, and I've learned to accept it. I can't just let what he's done in the past affect how I see him. Call me an idiot, but I can't. I won't."

All was silent for a moment, and Rachel very slowly finished the last tiny bit of tea in her cup. "Well, it seems you have quite a bit of courage to face such a perilous journey after knowing all of this. But, Shizuka. I have a warning for you." Shizuka stared at her, giving a small sigh. "The Continuum Shift is not something to be played with. There are a great many number of outcomes that may come from this, and not all of them end in your favor."

Shizuka gave a nod, and stood up. "I understand this, and I still accept it. I'm the happiest person alive right now, and even if I'm being played, I don't care. I love what I have, who I have, everything that I've done, and I don't regret it at all. I will continue living out what life I have, and I'll make sure that no matter what, I'll do my damn best to live my life to the fullest. I'll keep every promise I've made, and I won't let anyone down."

Rachel let out a small scoff of amusement, and slowly looked up at Valkenhayn. "Valkenhayn, please return her to the Novis Orbis Librarium. And Shizuka," she turned her head to look at her, and continued.

"_**Do be careful. Anything can happen, and remember to heed my warning**_."


	22. Unconditional Love

"_Kazuma… Hazama… Terumi_…" Shizuka sat in her office, cheek on her fist, staring at the ground. "_What if what Rachel told me… is true? What if all these feelings he has been having are nothing more than a stupid joke_…?" She gave a deep long sigh, and slowly closed her eyes. "_I don't understand… I honestly feel like something is there… I don't care who he is, or what he's done… I still feel like something is there. No matter how small it may be in reality_…"

"I do hope you realize just how big of a fool you are." Shizuka was immediately snapped out of her deep thought, and looked around. "I know that voice… Relius," she said, a growing agitation in her voice. "Ah, so you're able to recognize me by voice, are you? Very interesting." She stood up, and walked in front of the man who was now standing by her door. "What the hell do you want?" she hissed. "I see you are now experiencing conflicting emotions, hmm? Now that you know the truth about Terumi."

Shizuka glanced away, and turned her back to him. "I don't care what anyone says… I will remain loyal to him, because-" "Because what? Because you love him?" She clenched her fists, and bit her lip so hard she thought it would begin bleeding. "Yes, Relius. Because I love him. I can look past what he's done. I can look past the bad in people and see the good. And I don't give a shit what anyone says about him, _everyone_ can love. I know you did."

Shizuka heard a small scoff come from him, and she turned around to look at him. "I know about Ignis. And I also know about Ada. That's who's following little Carl around. And guess what chief? They're your children. They wouldn't be here if you didn't love someone. Would they?" she growled, getting right up in his face. They both glared at each other for a moment, and the Relius looked away.

"I suppose you're right. But, you do not understand the situation Terumi has found himself in. He is a sick, twisted, sadistic son of a bitch." "You watch your damn mouth Relius, or you may find my fist inside of it!" Shizuka retorted, her anger getting the better of her. Relius gave a small smirk, and he folded his arms across his chest. "Well, I do still hope you realize what a fool you are for loving someone such as him. Do you really think you can look past how many people he has killed? What he has done?" This made Shizuka immediately stop, and she looked down at the floor.

"So… I see these thoughts weigh heavily on both your heart and you mind. Shizuka, would you really be willing to risk ending up the same way that Trinity Glassfield did?" Shizuka did not answer him, and slowly sat down on the ground. "Just… leave me alone…" she replied in a near whisper. "As you wish, but remember that someone cannot change within a small amount of time. Do not forget this meeting." She slowly glanced up, noticing he had once again vanished.

She gave a small sigh, and pulled her knees close to her chest. She then placed her forehead against her knees, hiding her face from anyone and anything.

"_What am I going to do_…?"

Hazama heard a gentle knock on his door, one he instantly recognized as Shizuka's. "Come inside, Shizuka." The door stayed shut for a moment, and then very slowly opened. Shizuka entered, her feet dragging a bit on the floor as she padded in front of his desk. "Hey, Shizuka, are you alright? Are you ill?"

She looked up at him, and he stared at what he saw. "Shizuka…" Tears were streaming down her face, and the tips of her hair were drenched with her tears. From the looks of it, it looked like she had been crying for a while now. She opened her mouth to say something, but her words were held back by her tears. She slowly took a blank piece of paper on his desk and found a pen, beginning to slowly write something on it.

She took a good two or three minutes to just finish writing about seven or eight sentences, and then slowly moved the paper towards him. He picked it up and brought it in front of him, beginning to read what it said. His eyes widened, and he looked up, only to see that Shizuka was no longer there. "Shizuka… Shizuka!" he exclaimed as he got up out of his chair and ran out of his office, tossing the paper behind him as he went.

The paper fluttered gently to the ground, and landed with the side that had the writing on it facing the ceiling. A very pale, slender, and dainty hand picked it up from the floor, and her lips formed a very small yet saddened frown. She released a small sigh, and very quietly began reading the words out loud.

"_Captain… I wanted you to know that I'm leaving. I may end up returning to the NOL sooner or later, or I may not. I also need you to know that I found out the truth about you. I know about you, Kazuma, and Terumi, and I wanted you to know that that doesn't change my opinion on you. I know what you've done, and everything else that has really been… important I suppose. I couldn't find the courage to tell you how I felt, aside from that one time. So, here I will finally tell you. I will always love you unconditionally. I don't fear you, and I don't care what you've done in the past. There's no way that I would ever think of changing how I feel because of what you've done, and what you've been through, and I'll take all your good days with your bad. Nothing will ever make me change how much I care about you, not one single thing._

_**I will love you unconditionally**_."


	23. The First Step- Admittance

Shizuka's feet stepped upon the soft grass under her, and the gentle crunch made its way to her ears. "I think I'm far enough away now… I just… need some time to think…" she said to herself as she sat down on the ground. The place she had found herself in was a large, open prairie, and she fell backwards onto her back, staring into the endless sky.

"_I've always thought people can change… always. And nothing has ever made me think otherwise. But, now that all this shit started happening, I don't know what to think anymore_," she thought as she raised her left hand, looking at the snake ring that was on her wedding finger. "_I put it there… on that finger… because it gave me at least a little comfort_…" she continued as she gave a gentle smile. "_I really don't know what to do. Every single time I'm around him, my heart feels like it's going to explode. I get butterflies in my stomach, and I can't do anything about it. I want to love him so badly, and yet everyone is telling me that his feelings are fake. Nothing but a dumb façade. A stupid joke…" _

She slowly closed her eyes, and moved her arms behind her head. "_My feelings are true, and pure. As are my intentions. Just like I joined the NOL thinking I was going to be able to make my parents proud. Instead I got pulled into something that I can't even begin to understand. My whole life, I've lived alone, unwanted, and unloved. I had no parents there to comfort me, I had nothing. And then, I met him. He was kind to me. He made me feel like someone could actually love me, even with all my weirdness_. _He actually listened to me, he cared about me, and hell he even saved my ass. I don't give a shit if what he's been doing is nothing but a lie. At least it was something… right…?"_

"Shizuka!" Her eyes opened to the sound of her name being called from somewhere behind her. "_Shit_…" she muttered as she closed her eyes again. "Shizuka… God, you seriously need to learn to stop running off like this…" She heard someone sit down beside her, and she already knew who it was. "Shizuka, we really need to talk…" "About what? About how everyone is telling me that you can't love? How everyone is telling me that you were responsible for taking the lives of thousands? How many possible subjects could we possibly need to talk about?" Shizuka asked in reply, a growing agitation in her voice.

She heard Hazama sigh, and she slowly opened her eyes. "Yes, Shizuka. Everything that everyone has been telling you is true. My real name is Terumi. Yuki Terumi. I worked alongside Relius for a number of years doing research with him. Unfortunately, things… didn't go as planned…" Shizuka gave a small sigh, and continued to look at him. "To be honest, you're the only person I would ever even think of telling this to. Because, I know that I can trust you with it. I'm making you a personal promise that I will never hurt you in any way, because I know that you're very confused right now."

Shizuka looked down, and gently plucked a blade of grass from the ground. "You're right… I am very confused… I'm confused because I can't act on these feelings… I… I want to love you like you deserve to be loved so badly… but everyone is against it. They don't think you can change. But, I do. I think I've been around you long enough that you could have killed me if you wanted to. But I'm still here, aren't I?"

Hazama gave a low sigh, and took off his hat. "Hey… do you remember about a week after we met… I did this?" he asked as he put his hat on her head gently. Shizuka looked at the brim of the hat, considering that was all she could see, and gave a soft smile. "Yeah, I do remember that. You never saw… but once I left, I seriously was smiling the rest of the day…" Hazama glanced down at her, seeing her fiddling with the brim of his hat.

"Hazama… I need to ask you something. Do you honestly think you can never love someone?" Shizuka asked quietly, her voice sounding as though she was beginning to become choked up. He turned his head away from her, and looked somewhere far off in the distance. "You know… there's not just a simple answer to every question Shizuka. I'm a madman. I'm insane. Do you honestly think you're in love with someone like this?"

Shizuka immediately sat up and grabbed his cheeks gently in her hands. "I don't give a damn what you're like. I don't care at all. I love every single damn thing about you. I love that you prefer eggs over anything else. I love that every day I see you wear the same suit, over and over again. I love how you talk, how you walk, the way your voice sounds, everything! I love that every day, I get to walk into your office and see your face. I love that every single day, I know that I can wake up and be happy because I have you with me. I don't care about what you've done, I can look past all that…"

She gave him a tender smile, and very softly kissed his nose. "I'm in love with you, Terumi. No one else. And no one will ever be able to change that, no matter how hard they may try…" she said in a soft voice. She took the hat from her head and very slowly placed it upon his. "I don't care about anyone else… you are the one that I want. You, Yuki Terumi. And even if that means that I'm in love with a madman, so be it. I love it. And if I'm in love with a madman…

_**then I shall be considered a madwoman too**_."


	24. Protection

Shizuka's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sunlight hitting them, and she gave a small yawn. "Hmm…? Where am I…?" she muttered as she sat up and looked around. "This isn't my office…" she continued as she saw what looked to be an office similar to hers, but this one seemed a lot bigger. "Oh, I see you're awake…" She heard Hazama's voice, and she looked to her left, seeing her sitting in his chair behind his desk.

"Sir?" she asked as she tilted her head. "You passed out yesterday, so I decided to bring you back here. And, Shizuka, I hope you realize that you talk in your sleep." Shizuka's face turned bright pink, and she stared at him. "Oh shit… what… what was I saying?" she asked. "Hmm, to be quite honest, I wasn't sure. It was just muttering. You did make several small noises though. But, like I said, I dunno what you were dreaming so…" Shizuka blinked several times, and she looked away quickly.

"_Shit… thank God I wasn't saying what I was dreaming_…" she thought as she gulped. She slowly rose to her feet and walked beside Hazama, softly placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Sir. I shall be sure to return this favor someday," she said as she began walking towards his door. "Shizuka…" she stopped and turned around, only coming face to face with her boss.

"Holy shit, you're fast!" she exclaimed as she placed a hand over her chest. "May I… may I have the ring back that I gave you…?" Shizuka looked at him, and then looked down as she took off his ring. "Yes Sir…" she replied quietly as she placed it in his hand. "Shizuka, look at me." Shizuka slowly looked at him, and he took a firm grip on her shoulders. "I have something I need to admit to you…"

Shizuka looked confused, and Hazama brought the ring in front of her face. "Relius… Relius wanted me to use this to take control of you. He wanted me to use you… but I couldn't do that…" he said as he turned his face away from her. "I couldn't do that to you. I just couldn't…" he continued. He felt the ring be taken from his hand, and he looked up at her. With a soft smile, she placed the ring back on her finger. "I told you… I trust you. I want that bastard to see that I don't fear him," she replied as she smirked a bit.

Hazama raised his eyebrow a bit, and he gave a small scoff of amusement. "You really are too carefree for your own good, you know…" Shizuka giggled, and gently batted his hat with her hand, making it fall to the ground. "So? That's another unique thing about me!" she exclaimed as she ran off. Hazama shook his head and picked up his hat, brushing it off and placing it back upon his head. "That girl…"

Shizuka looked at her arm, seeing the large scar that now trailed down in. "Damn it… I wish it wasn't this noticeable…" she muttered as she touched it gently with her hand. "I'm just happy it's healed… I can finally use my bow again," she continued as she hooked her bow onto the back of her uniform. It was only then that she noticed a small piece of paper on her desk, and her eyes narrowed. "What the hell…? This isn't a Librarium note…" she muttered as she picked it up.

Her eyes widened, and her hand trembled as she read the words that had been written on the paper with jet black ink.

"_I've acquired the person you care about. I suggest you come quickly to the top of Kagutsuchi, and meet your fate. Do not keep me waiting_."

Shizuka's breath was quick and her feet pounded against the floor as she made her way up the flights of stairs. "_Goddamn it… Hakumen has Zara…! I can't let this happen_!" she thought as she reached behind her and grabbed her bow. She immediately reached into her quiver and took an arrow from it, drawing her bow as she ran. "_I lost to him once, I won't lose again_!" she continued as she threw open the door into the Hanging Gardens. She immediately noticed Zara on the ground, and she ran over, sliding on her knees beside her. "Zara… Zara, come on! Don't do this…" she exclaimed as she shook her shoulders. She placed her ear against her chest and heard her heartbeat, and she sighed in relief. "She's just knocked out… I need to get her out of here…" she said as she picked her up and turned around to begin walking back into the NOL building.

She was stopped by the clinging of metal behind her, and she glared at the armored man over her shoulder. "This is low… hurting an innocent girl to get to me…" she growled as she gently placed Zara down on the grass. She turned around to face him, and she saw he had his sword drawn. "You are not meant to be in this world. Just meet your fate, and die," he commanded as he raised his sword.

"Meet my fate and die? I'm sorry, but I have way too much shit to lose. I've come this far, and there's no damn way I'm giving up now. I'm not just some pushover of a girl anymore Hakumen. I won't cry. I won't run away like a dog. I will fight you, and I will win!" she exclaimed as she drew her bow and fired her arrow. Hakumen swung his sword, easily deflecting her fired arrow and severing it in half. "You bastard…" she growled as she latched her bow back onto her uniform.

"I suppose I should go hand to hand then…" she continued as she took a firm stance on the ground below her. "Come on Hakumen… don't pussy out now…" she taunted as a grin spread across her face. Hakumen raised his sword more, and lashed out at her. Shizuka moved her body to the left, and she let the smooth side of his blade slide against her hand. She gripped his sword with her hands and leapt into the air, landing on his shoulders with his head between her knees.

"I told you not to screw around with me!" she exclaimed as she leaned her body backwards and threw him behind her. He immediately recovered and continued his onslaught, lashing away towards her body and managing to tear several rips in her uniform. "Goddamn it, just give it up! I'm sick this!" Shizuka exclaimed as she dropped to the ground and used her upper body strength to swing her legs around and hitting him square in the back of the knees.

He swung his sword down and it stuck in the ground right between her legs. "Holy shit…" she thought as she stared at the sword and then looked up at him. She rolled back and leapt to her feet. "Hakumen, just give it up. I won't die here. I have too damn much to lose now…" she said as she glared at him. Hakumen slowly moved his sword to his side, and he said nothing. "Do not think this is over, Shizuka Kaori. You do not belong in this world, and I will personally remove you from it myself," he replied coldly as he turned around and began slowly walking away.

Shizuka watched him and then ran over to Zara's side. "Zara! Zara, come on…" she said as she shook her shoulders again. She waited for a moment, and then saw Zara's eyes slowly flutter open. "Zara! Oh, Zara… thank God…!" she said as she hugged her tightly. "Shizuka…? Shizuka, what the hell happened?" she heard Zara ask as she gently wrapped her arms around her. "Nothing… I'm just happy you're safe…" Shizuka replied as she smiled happily.

"_**And I promise you that nothing like that will ever happen to you again**_…"


	25. April 29th

Shizuka wandered aimlessly around the NOL building, having nothing to do. "Shizuka!" She heard her name called from somewhere to her right, and she turned just in time to avoid a flying Zara. Zara stumbled past her, and finally regained her balance. "H-hey! What was that for?" she asked as she padded beside Shizuka and then wrapped her arms around her. Shizuka giggled quietly and gently touched her arms with her hands, and gave her a smile. "I didn't want to get tackled to the floor, that's what that was for," she replied.

"Well, never mind that! Are you excited? I bet you're excited as hell!" Zara exclaimed as she smirked and poked her cheek. "E-excited? Um… why would I be excited?" Shizuka asked in a slightly confused tone. Zara raised her eyebrow, and she pursed her lip. "So, you're telling me that you don't know what today, April 29th, is?" she asked quietly. Shizuka thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied.

Zara gave a deep sigh, and she grabbed Shizuka's shoulders. "Today is your freaking lovey-dovey boy's birthday!" she exclaimed as she shook her friend with every word. Shizuka stared at her for a moment, and then she grabbed her hair in her hands. "Are you kidding me?! Today is really his birthday and I didn't know about it?!" she asked quickly. Zara laughed, and she nodded. "Yep! So, what are you gonna get him?" she asked as she gave a slight smirk. Shizuka glared at her, and she immediately began walking towards her office.

"Oh! Wait! I have the perfect thing you can give him!" Zara exclaimed as she ran hurried ahead of her and vanished into Shizuka's office. Shizuka raised her eyebrow and followed her, only to feel her face turn red as she saw what Zara was holding. "You can finally use these! It would be the perfect birthday gift, come on!" she said giddily as she grinned. "S-shut up Zara! I-I'm not gonna use those!" Shizuka retorted as she grabbed her wallet from her bag. "I'm going to actually buy him something…" she said softly. "Pfft… you could pay him with your body…" Zara muttered. "Zara!" Shizuka exclaimed as she looked at her in shock. "O-okay, okay! I'm just kidding, calm down!" Zara replied quickly as she raised her hands in defense.

Shizuka stood up and placed her wallet in her pocket, and then looked at Zara once again. "Hmm, you wanna come along? I don't mind," she asked as she gave her a gentle smile. Zara nodded and hurried beside her, and they both walked out of the building together. "Hmm… what do you think I should get him?" Shizuka asked as she glanced at Zara out of the corner of her eye.

Zara tapped her chin with her forefinger, and then shrugged. "I dunno, but that's up to you honestly. Just get him something from the heart." Shizuka smiled to herself, and they continued walking until they reached a small shop in town. "Hmm… stay here," Shizuka said as she ran inside. Zara tilted her head and nodded as she leaned against the brick wall.

"Thirty-four bottles of wine on the wall… thirty-four bottles of wine… take one down, pass it around, thirty-three bottles of… ugh. Seriously. What the hell is taking her so long?" Zara muttered to herself as she placed her face against the window and looked around for Shizuka. "Hey! Forgive me for taking so long. I just wanted to choose the right thing," Shizuka said as she ran beside her with something behind her back.

Zara raised her eyebrow, and stared at her. "Let me see what you got him." Shizuka blushed a tiny bit, and she shook her head. "N-no," she replied quietly. "Oh come on. I won't tell anyone," Zara replied as she pursed her lip once again. "Ugh, fine… damn it…" Shizuka muttered as she brought her gift out from behind her back. Zara stared at it, and then a smile spread across her face. "Oh… so that's what this store is…" she said quietly. "Y-yes… and that's why it took me so long," Shizuka replied as she laughed nervously. Zara nodded and gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. "You know him well… seriously. I really think he's gonna like that," she said as they both began walking.

Shizuka gave a small nod, and then released a quiet sigh. "I hope so… I really worked hard on it…" she replied as she glanced over at Zara. Zara smiled and giggled. "God, you're such a dork, I swear. I mean, you're like, deathly in love with this dude." Shizuka glared at her, and she scoffed. "Mhm, says you. I saw you with that waiter. Grabbing his apron like you wanted to just rip it off of him. At least I can control my sexual urges," Shizuka said with a sly grin.

Zara's face turned bright red, and she quickly shook her head. "I-it wasn't like that, I swear! I-I just…" "Oh save it Zara! You know you can't deny it," Shizuka butted in and replied with a laugh. Zara crossed her arms as they entered the building, and she glanced away. "O-okay, okay… but he's hot, okay?" Shizuka giggled and gently nudged her shoulder. "I know, I'm just teasing you," she replied softly as they walked in front of Hazama's office.

"Stay here, okay? I'll let you know how it goes," Shizuka said quietly. "Pfft. I won't need to know. I'll hear it," Zara replied as a large smirk spread across her lips. "S-shut up…" Shizuka replied as she knocked on his door. "Sir? It's Shizuka. May I come inside?" She heard him reply with her permission to enter, and she slowly opened the door with her free hand, hiding her gift behind her back with her other one. She shut the door behind her, and she gave a soft smile.

"Well, hello there Sir. How are you feeling today?" she asked as she padded in front of his desk. Hazama gave a quiet sigh, and leaned back in his chair. "I'm alright I suppose. A bit tired, but other than that I'm fine." Shizuka gulped, and gave a small nod. "S-Sir… I have something I'd like to tell you…" Hazama glanced up at her, and she slowly moved a miniature cake from behind her back.

"I wanted to tell you happy birthday…" she said softly as she placed it on his desk. Hazama looked at her, and then looked at the item in front of him. "I made it myself… and I put an egg right in the center of the top because I know how much you like them…" Shizuka said quietly as she twiddled her thumbs. Hazama poked at the egg on the cake, and then looked back up at her. "I'm quite surprised you knew it was my birthday… and I'm even more surprised you actually took time out of your day to make me something…"

Shizuka gave him a small smile, and slowly shook her head. "I couldn't just not give you something. And, I have one more thing for you as well." Hazama put his forefinger in his mouth, licking the icing off of it. "Hmm? And, what would that be exactly?" he asked as he looked at her once again. Shizuka leaned over his desk, and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, then his nose, then his forehead. "That was my second gift to you…" she said gently.

Hazama looked at her for a moment, and then took off his hat. "Shizuka… thank you," he said as he placed his hat upon her head. "Wear it. Consider it a thank you," he continued as he gave her a smile. Shizuka giggled and gently touched his hair with her hand. "It's so soft… and you better make sure you eat that…" she said as she pursed her lips and looked down at him. Hazama gave a scoff of amusement, and he shook his head. "I won't eat it. Not unless you have at least one part of it with me." Shizuka pondered his words for a moment, and then nodded.

"Alright, I will," she replied as she pulled a chair in front of his desk. She took two forks from pocket, and gave one to him. "Well, well, well… seems like you knew ahead of time I would ask you to stay with me…" Hazama said as he raised his eyebrow. "N-no…! I mean… I had an extra one just in case ya know…!" she replied as she felt a blush spread across her cheeks. Hazama chuckled quietly, and watched Shizuka play with the brim of his hat that was upon her head. "I think it was kind of… adorable." Shizuka looked at him, and a soft smile formed on her lips.

"_**Well then Sir, come on. We wouldn't want this cake to go to waste now would we?" "Oh hell no! Not with that egg on there**_! **_We can't just let it not be eaten_**!"


	26. A Brand New Beginning- Good Ending

"Now, now, I have finally acquired the time to ask you such an important question, and you refuse to answer me? What a shame that is." The she-vampire folded her arms across her chest, and waited for a response. "We did not call you here to be reprimanded by someone such as you. We intend to give you the answer you seek, and we intend for it to be soon. But, first you must answer one of the questions we have to ask you," the figure known as "TA" replied in a monotone voice.

"Indeed. Rachel Alucard. We have called you here to ask you why you have been interfering with the actions we have taken the time to make a reality," the figure known as "TB" added. Rachel blinked slowly, and stared at the white space in front of her. "You ask me why I interfere. One question cannot be answered without the answer to the other. I simply wish to know why you have given someone such as him a chance," Rachel replied curtly.

"That does not give you permission to simply interfere with things that you do not need to be interfering with. Now, you shall receive the answer that you have been wanting to know so badly." Rachel glanced at one of the human figures on the ground, and once again waited for her answer. "The answer you seek is simple Rachel Alucard. We have decided that in order to see all endings to this timeline, we needed to introduce someone new into the sequence. Though it may come at the expense of Yuki Terumi, we needed this. We did not know where this would go, and we still have no definite answer. But, we shall tell you this.

One ending is closer than you think. And the ending to this tale may be one that surprises not only you, but everyone in fact."

Shizuka awoke with a start, and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. "H-holy hell… another dream about it… why am I having so many dreams about that all of a sudden?" she thought as she felt how hot her face was. "It's… kinda odd. I don't know whether to like them or not," she continued as she slowly stood up from her chair. She looked at the drawer that her box was still residing inside, and she slowly reached her hand towards it. She stopped right before she slid open the drawer, and she moved her hand away. "No… that's wrong…" she sighed as she looked away.

She heard a knock on her door, and she quickly looked up. "Shizuka, it's me. I'm coming inside," she heard Hazama said as he walked inside and shut the door behind him. "Sir! Do you need something? It's quite unusual for you to visit my office," Shizuka said as she walked in front of him. Hazama looked at her, and gave a small nod. "Come with me, Shizuka. I want to take a walk with you," he said as he turned around. Shizuka followed him out of her office, and they began walking up some flights of stairs.

"Shizuka, I wanted to thank you for what you did a week ago. I didn't expect you to do something like that for me," Hazama said quietly. Shizuka gave a small smile, and she shook her head. "No way! You don't need to thank me. I wanted to make you happy, especially since it was such a special day you know." Hazama gave a quiet scoff of amusement, and he opened the door for her. Shizuka walked out, and saw that they had arrived in the Hanging Gardens.

"You know, I don't think many things are beautiful, only a select few things manage to catch my eye. And this is one of them honestly," Hazama said as he wandered around. Shizuka felt a bit of a pain in her chest, and she felt a sorrowful feeling come over her. "O-oh… only a few things manage to catch your eye huh?" she asked as she watched him walk around. She heard him give a small sigh, and he walked in front of her, grabbing her hand. "Come with me…"

She honestly had no choice but to follow him because of how tight of a grip he had on her hand, and he led her underneath a large tree. "Sit," he commanded. Shizuka obeyed and sat down on the ground, leaning her back against the trunk of the tree. Hazama took his place beside her, and he took off his hat. "Shizuka… you're too sensitive to things. You need to realize something. I said only a select few things manage to catch my eye. Did you ever think that you were one of them?" Shizuka felt like her heart exploded inside her, and she didn't know what to say.

"I have something to admit to you. When I first met you, I honestly didn't want you to be there. I hated having an assistant, and I didn't want you there. I was going to follow Relius's plan and use you, but… then all that changed. You were being kind to me, and that was very unusual. People usually don't like me, not even when they first meet me. But you, you gave me a chance Shizuka," he continued as he glanced at her.

"You weren't afraid of me, you didn't hate me, you did nothing but be kind to me. You did whatever I told you to do, and hell. You didn't even back down when you found out the truth about me. You didn't think any different of me, you didn't do anything. That shows just how loyal you are. Do you know how hard that is to find in anyone anymore?" Shizuka gave a soft smile, and she moved a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't want to be loyal to anyone other than you, Terumi…" she replied softly.

Hazama looked at her, and she gave him a grin. "That's right, Terumi. I think it's a nice name," she said as she giggled a bit. Hazama shook his head and sighed deeply. "You really are too carefree for your own good you know…" Shizuka nodded and laid down on her back. "Mhm. But, I like being carefree. It takes the worry off your shoulders for a bit, and that can really help, believe me," she replied as she slowly closed her eyes. "Worry, hmm?" she heard Hazama ask in reply.

"Mhm, you know. All the daily things that bug you, or past things. I just take a deep breath and look at the sky. The sky is one of the things that catches _my_ eye. It's not supposed to be blue, you know. But, it defies that law and does it anyway. It harbors clouds, and they have so many shapes and designs, it's beautiful…" she replied with a happy sigh. She heard no reply, and she finally got curious and opened her eyes, only to come face to face with Hazama, who had moved over her at some point.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt her face beginning to turn red. "Shizuka, let me ask you something. How is it that someone who is the exact opposite of me caught my eye?" Shizuka looked him in the eyes for a moment, and she gently touched his cheek. "I'm honestly not sure. But, maybe it's true what they say. Maybe opposites do attract…" she replied with a soft smile.

"Perhaps… I'm just… happy… I suppose… that I found someone who can accept this dark heart…" Hazama replied. Shizuka softly touched both of his cheeks with her hands now, and placed a gentle kiss upon his nose. "Dark heart or not, I'll accept you whatever way you come. You've proven yourself to me, and that's something you should be proud of," she said as she proceeded to place another kiss upon his nose.

"Well… I haven't proven myself to you yet…" he replied quietly. Shizuka tilted her head, and a slightly confused look crossed her face. "What are you talking about?" she asked in reply. Hazama moved away from her and stood up, then proceeded to pick her up and hold her against his chest. "You're going to see soon enough…" Shizuka blinked and nodded as she stayed quiet, and Hazama walked back inside of the NOL building.

He tapped down the stairs, and Shizuka noticed he was walking towards her office. He set her down, and then pointed his finger at the ground. "Stay here…" he said as he walked into her office. Shizuka didn't really understand what was going on, but she waited like she was told. Hazama soon walked out again, and he picked her up once again. "Come on…" he said as he began walking again.

Shizuka sighed and nodded as she stayed quiet again, and Hazama walked outside of the NOL building once more. "Sir, where are we going?" she asked quietly. Hazama didn't answer her, and gave a small scoff. "Hush… you'll see," he replied as he walked down the street. Shizuka noticed they were headed towards a little house, and she looked up at him. "W-wait…" she stammered as she felt her face turn red. "Oh would you just be quiet?" he replied sternly as he set her down. Shizuka immediately shut up and bit her lip. "F-forgive me…" she replied in a near whisper.

Hazama walked to the door and slid it open, and Shizuka walked inside. "This is my home. A lot of people think I reside in the NOL, but that's because they don't know me any better…" Hazama said as he walked in behind her and slid the door shut. Shizuka looked around and smiled a bit. "It's nice…" she said softly as she began looking around more. Hazama followed her closely, and Shizuka poked her head into one of the rooms. "Hey, this must be your room, huh?" she asked as she noticed the bed and dresser. Hazama nodded, and cleared his throat. "Oh! I'm sorry! I shouldn't be snooping around like this…!" Shizuka exclaimed as she looked at him.

Hazama shook his head, and reached into his coat pocket. Shizuka watched him, and she gasped when she saw what he pulled out of his pocket. "S-so… that's why he went into my office…" she thought as she stared at him. "Remember when I told you I hadn't proved myself yet? Well… I do believe it's high time that I did," he said as he forced her up against the wall. Shizuka's face turned bright red almost instantly, and she couldn't find her words.

"_I-I can't…! I don't know how…! I've never done anything like this before_…!" she thought as she felt his lips press against hers. She pressed her hands against his chest and nudged him off of her. "H-Hazama… please… you don't understand…" she managed to say as she looked up at him. Hazama gently took ahold of one of her cheeks, and he gave her a small smile. "You think I don't know that you're nervous? Don't think I forgot that you've never been with anyone before. Don't worry…" Shizuka glanced away, and then gently touched his hand.

"Alright… I trust you…" she replied quietly as she gave him a nervous smile. Hazama took her hand in his, and slowly walked with her into his room.

Shizuka's eyes slowly opened, and she let her eyes adjust to the light. She felt a warm breath on her back, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Hazama behind her. She gave a content smile to herself, and she felt Hazama shift a bit. She very slowly turned to her right side and watched him sleep, his hair mangled and messy, and his breathing slowed to almost nothing. "Thank you…" she said in a quiet whisper as she gently kissed his lips.

"**_The world turns. Everything goes round and round. What once was an endless wheel now turns toward a new direction. Everything and anything is possible, no matter how slim the chance may be_**."

_The Tale Of Shizuka Kaori ~ End._


	27. The Tale of Shizuka Kaori - Renewal

Rachel sat once again in her garden and sipped her tea, and a few rose petals drifted across the white cloth on her table. "Hmm… it seems he is actually summoning me. This is quite interesting indeed," she said quietly to herself as she slowly rose from her chair. "Nago, Gii, Valkenhayn. I'm going out for a while. I shall return at a later time," she said curtly as a large gust of wind blew a bunch of rose petals around her. When they slowly landed on the ground, Rachel had vanished.

Rachel reappeared inside of Hazama's office, and he gave a low growl. "Goddamn it, vampire. Could you at least try not to dirty my office with those damn petals?" he muttered as he situated his hat upon his head. Rachel gave him a cold stare, and she folded her arms across her chest. "You summoned me here, Terumi. So tell me what you wish to tell me. I do have more important matters to attend to," she said coldly.

Hazama scoffed. "More important things to be doing? Like what? Drinking your damn tea at that adorable little tea party of yours?" he said in a mocking voice. Rachel stared at him, not a single hint of expression crossing her blank face. Hazama gave a quiet sigh, and he stood up from his chair. "I called you here because I need your help."

Rachel's eyebrow rose, and she looked at him as he walked in front of her."You? Yuki Terumi is actually asking for my help?" she asked, obviously tormenting him. Hazama gave a quiet growl, and he put his right hand into his pocket. "I'm serious, vampire." Rachel blinked slowly, and gave a very small nod. "Well? Speak." Hazama glanced away, and replied quietly, "It's about Takamagahara…"

"Are you daft? After everything that has happened, you're still wanting to infiltrate the system? You truly are the epitome of selfish, Terumi," Rachel scolded as she looked away in disgust. "It's not for me." This caught Rachel's attention, and she slowly returned her gaze to him. "Look, you and I both know that if Takamagahara deem Shizuka as a disruption of the shift, everything will be erased and time will start itself all over again. Everything that she and I have had and have done will be gone forever. Hell, they may even erase her from existence if they think she's inadequate. Look, I'm not asking you to help me do this for me. I'm asking you to help me do this… for her," Hazama replied quietly as he continued to avoid eye contact with her.

Rachel stared at him for a few moments, and then moved her arms to her sides. "So, you're meaning to tell me that you're wanting to take Takamagahara's power not for your own personal gain, but for the gain of your lover?" Hazama didn't reply for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes. Look, let me be honest here. Do you really think I would be asking you this if I wasn't serious?" Rachel gave a very tiny laugh of what sounded like amusement, and replied, "Yes, I honestly believe you would if it was for your own personal gain. Now, I have a way of finding out whether or not you truly mean what you say."

Hazama glanced down at her, and then rolled his eyes. "Go on, spit it out. What the hell do I have to do to get that tiny brain of yours to believe me?" Rachel stared at him for a moment, and then gave a very tiny smile. "I want to hear the words come straight from that mouth of yours. Those three little words. And, you must look me in my eyes when you speak them. Then, and only then, shall I know that you're serious about the plan you have."

Hazama gave a deep sigh and folded his arms across his chest. "Alright… you damn vampire… you really are trying to humiliate me, aren't you…?" he growled. He then looked her in the eyes, and said very sternly, "I love her." Rachel gave a small grin of amusement, and then nodded. "Very good, Terumi. Quite honestly, I never thought someone like you could find it in that heart of yours to feel that emotion."

She then looked away from him, and closed her eyes. "One of the wonders of the universe I suppose…" she continued softly. "But, I shall indeed help you Terumi. I now know that your intentions are pure, and we can now devise something that shall allow you entrance inside of the system."

"It seems as if though that woman has caused an interference with our master plan," TA stated to the other two that resided with him. "Indeed. She has become a problem, and if it is not dealt with, we shall have to reset the shift once more," TB added. "Correct. But, what will we do with her? There is a risk of the same incident happening once more," TC stated.

"We must erase her from existence. If the problem has a risk of happening more than once, we cannot allow her to continue her existence in this world," TB replied. "Oh, pardon me, but it seems as if you three are missing something very important!" In the center of the three chairs, a humanoid-looking… thing came to form.

"Impossible. Intrusion without detection is incorrect," TC stated. "Correct. It is impossible that you entered here without detection," TB added. The figure gave a cackle of amusement, and the proceeded to reply, "You three really have nothing special about you. This was how I intended to get my ass in here in the first place! You see, you're not all-watching as you claim to be. For the tiniest fraction of a fraction of a second, you were not examining all the possibilities."

"Correct. For 1/89000000th of a second, the system was engaged solely on observing the problems in question," TC replied to the figure's statement. "Man, did you guys pick the wrong person to carry out your plans. Screw Amaterasu, and screw you bastards. I have other plans for myself now, and I'm not just going to stand here and watch as you just do what you want with them. So, that being said, I do believe it's time I gave you something a little bit earlier than I intended to," the figure said with a evil cackle.

"Consider this a gift from me to you idiots! This special virus is filled with God knows how many unsolvable equations and anything else that will take you many, many, many years to solve! Maybe an eternity! Have fun trying to hack away at that shit!" it exclaimed with a maniacal laugh. "Correct. We are in danger. We are in danger. We are in danger," TC replied to his words.

One by one, each of the shadow figures vanished from sight until nothing was left but the three empty chairs and the figure in the middle. It gave a quiet sigh, and then a small scoff. "Finally… now those damn bastards can't do any shit to screw anything up anymore…"

"Hazama?" Shizuka called quietly from outside of his door. She slowly pushed the door open, only to be greeted with a tight embrace. This stunned her for a moment, and she slowly wrapped her arms around the man in front of her. "Hey, what's gotten into you…?" she asked quietly as she looked up at him. He placed his hat gently upon her head, and shook his head.

"_**Nothing more than the simple fact that perhaps I can live a life of my very own for once now**_."

_The Tale of Shizuka Kaori ~ Renewal ~ End_


	28. -Death- Bad Ending

The quiet scratching sound of a pencil running along a piece of paper was all that was heard inside of Shizuka's office, and she flinched as the tip broke off of the end. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples with her forefinger and thumb. "Damn it, if my pencil keeps doing this, I won't be able to finish my report…" she grumbled quietly as she got up from her seat.

She then heard a loud rumble, and the ground beneath her began to quiver and shake. She took a firm stance on the ground, but unfortunately fell onto her back. "What the hell was that?!" she exclaimed as she quickly rose to her feet. She looked around, and then looked up at the ceiling. "That came from the roof…" she said as she turned her gaze to her door. She then proceeded to race out of her office and up the flights of stairs to the elevator that led to the roof.

"_There's no guards here… this isn't right_…" she thought as she quickly entered the elevator and proceeded to make her way to the roof. She waited impatiently, and her foot tapped against the metal. "_What the hell was that…? It wasn't an earthquake… but it wasn't an explosion either. So… what the hell was it_?" she continued to ponder as she neared the roof. The elevator stopped, and she cautiously began tapping up the stairs to the door that led onto the top of the building.

She reached out in front of her and grabbed the knob in her hand, turning it slowly and walking out into the light. What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks. A large, almost tomb-looking monument loomed over her, and she stared at it. "_W-what the hell is that thing_…?" she whispered to herself. What she saw next was a sight that she never thought she would see.

On the left side of the building, the Kaka girl she had met once lay on the ground, and she didn't appear to be moving. "T-Tao…?" she stammered as she looked at the not moving figure. "Oh… and it seems someone else decided to join the party now too, huh? That's great. Might as well end your miserable life now!"

Shizuka felt her middle be struck, and an immense pain entered her abdomen. She was now suspended in the air, a sharp object protruding from her back, and a pool of blood forming underneath her. She couldn't breathe, and she hung limply in the air. "Oh shit… Shizuka…" She looked weakly down into the man's amber eyes, and she immediately knew who it was. She felt the object be quickly removed from her body, and she landed on the ground in her own blood.

She finally managed to find some breaths, but they were quick and sharp. She felt someone's arms hoist her a bit off the ground, and her vision grew blurry. She heard muffled shouting, and she saw someone looking over her. She couldn't focus, and she couldn't hear anything that was going on. "_S-shit… I can't see anything… I can't hear either… am I going to die_…?" was all that her brain could think as she continued to hear the muffled shouting over her.

"Sh…ka! …zuka!" She blinked slowly, and her vision slowly started coming back to her. "Shi…ka! An…er me, da…it!" She finally managed to see who was holding her, and it was a man very similar to Hazama. "_G-green hair… the same suit... this must be_…"She very slowly managed to summon some strength the raise her trembling hand, and she pressed it gently against his cheek. "T…Ter…umi…" she breathed in quiet breaths. This seemed to surprise him a bit, and he stared at her. "You… you knew it was me…" Shizuka gave a very weak smile, and gave a very small nod. "Y…yes… I'd know you… anywhere…" she replied through her gasps for breath.

"Do you see now Terumi? Do you see that you're nothing but a bastard?" She heard a new voice, and a man with silvery-white hair walked beside them both. "Shut your goddamn mouth, you son of a bitch!" Terumi exclaimed as he launched a snake-chain at the man. The man leapt back to avoid being hit, and Terumi seethed through his teeth. "Damn it… this wasn't supposed to happen…! You weren't supposed to be here!" Shizuka took a long, raspy breath, and coughed up some blood. "I-I thought… you might be in trouble… so I came… to help…" she replied quietly.

Terumi stared at her, and then placed his hand firmly against her wound. "Come on, what about all that stuff about making your parents proud, huh? What about all that? Come on, you're gonna be alright…" he said as he watched the blood drip through his fingers. "Terumi…" Shizuka heard a dainty voice say from somewhere to the left of her. "You have struck her through her vital organs. There is no way for her to survive what you have done to her."

"Shut up, you damn vampire! She's going to make it! She has to!" He stopped when he noticed Shizuka very slowly shaking her head back and forth. "N-no… listen to me… Terumi. I've had a good life… sure, it may not be filled with… sunshine and rainbows… but I wouldn't have lived it any other way. I met some of the… best people I've ever met before, and I found something I thought someone like me could never find." She gave him another weak smile, and her hand fell to her side.

"I found… love. I found you… and you actually accepted me… me and all my… weirdness. I'm sure that wherever my parents may be… they're already proud of me. I've lived my life… the way I wanted to. The way they taught me. And…" She cringed in pain, and took another long, raspy breath. "I wanted to tell you… I don't blame you… for this…" Terumi's eyes widened, and he stared at her. "How can you not blame me for this?! I did this to you! You're seriously going to tell me that you don't blame me for this?!"

Shizuka gave a painful laugh, and nodded. "Y-yes… and… call me an idiot… but… I don't blame you. I just wish… we could… have had more time…" Terumi grabbed her hand, and gripped it tightly. "Don't say that! Come on!" Shizuka cringed once more, and slowly managed to touch his cheek again. She could find no more words, and very slowly closed her eyes as her body grew limp. Terumi continued to hold her hand tightly in his, and he stared at her now lifeless body.

Rachel slowly padded over beside them, and folded her arms across her body. She glanced away from both of them, and slowly looked at the ground.

"_**Terumi… you're such a fool… such a fool**_…"

_~One of the Many Possibilities of the Continuum Shift~_


	29. Help Me, Professor Kokonoe!

Kokonoe slowly padded out into the center of the room, and raised her right hand. "Greetings lost children. I am Professor Kokonoe, genius scientist and ruler of the Sector Seven laboratory." She stopped, and then scowled a bit. "... Well, okay, we aren't in the lab at the moment. This place can sort of be temporarily moved into the Boundary. Well, simply put, it's a mysterious room. A room where you can do anything you want." She closed her eyes and walked a bit to her left, and an irritated look crossed her face. "To be honest, it's a paradise for all those sad, little lost children who couldn't make it to the true ending. A sort of Avalon. If you're one of those nutbars who's all, "I don't need help," or "I only want to unlock hidden stuff," or "I'll just look for a flowchart online," then you can piss off!" She sighed quietly, and placed her hand on her forehead. "... Very well. Lost child of the day. You may enter."

The door on the opposite side of the room slid open, and little Shizuka padded out in front of her. A very noticeable frown formed on Kokonoe's lips, and she glared at the girl in front of her. "Well, well, well… look who's ass wound up in here this time," she grumbled quietly. Shizuka looked around, and then looked back at Kokonoe. "Kokonoe? Um… where the heck am I? I don't remember what happened, or how I got here…"

Kokonoe's glare seemed to get even more evil, and she scoffed. "So, you're seriously gonna waltz in here, and tell me that you don't remember your ass getting killed? Whoops. Scratch that. You don't remember your ass getting murdered?" she hissed. Shizuka stared at her for a moment, and then what Kokonoe had said seemed to finally click. "Oh! Oh… yeah… I remember now…" she replied quietly as she looked away.

"Pfft. It serves your ass right. That's what you get for being so damn curious all the time. Haven't you ever heard the term, "curiosity killed the cat?" Kokonoe scolded as she raised her eyebrow. Shizuka nodded a bit, and then twiddled her thumbs. "Well, now you know that your curiosity got the better of you, and you literally ran into your doom," she continued as she fixed her glasses.

Shizuka nodded once more, and Kokonoe eyeballed her hands. "Goddamn it, Shizuka, stop with the twiddling!" she exclaimed. Shizuka immediately moved her hands to her sides, and she turned red with embarrassment. "F-forgive me!" she replied as she bowed at her waist. Kokonoe sighed, and then gave a small chuckle.

"Yep. That's how I know it's you. You always apologize over the tiniest things. Hell, even with that bastard you always apologized over everything… I mean, when I was watching you…" Shizuka's look turned sour, and she glared at Kokonoe. "So… you're meaning to tell me… that you've been watching us this entire time?" she said slowly. Kokonoe blinked, and then laughed nervously. "N-no! I mean… it was nothing more than research!" she replied quickly.

Shizuka scoffed, and folded her arms across her chest. "Frigging Yandere…" she muttered. Kokonoe's tails stiffened, and she glared at the girl in front of her. "Did you really just call me a Yandere?" she growled. Shizuka nodded, and a slight smirk crossed her face. "Indeed I did. You're way too overprotective." Kokonoe reached into her pocket and pulled out one of her special candies. "Hey Shizuka, come over here so I can stuff you so full of these that you'll pop…"

Shizuka glared at her, and then they both began laughing. "Man, Shizzy… what the hell happened to this?" Kokonoe asked quietly. Shizuka sighed quietly, and looked at the floor. "I'm not sure… but I sure do miss it, ya know…" Kokonoe chuckled to herself, and then messed with her hair. "Man, I'm kinda happy you're here, and not doing what you would have done if he had come to your office…"

This caught Shizuka's attention, and she raised her eyebrow. "What are you talking about? What do you mean? What would I have done?!" she exclaimed as a blush crossed her face. Kokonoe scowled, and she rolled her eyes. "Well, let's just say that after twenty four years of innocence, you kinda… hey… Shizuka…?" Kokonoe stopped as she saw Shizuka passed out on the ground, a small amount of blood coming from her nose.

She sighed, and placed her hand on her forehead. "Ugh, you damn pervert… you've always been like that…" she muttered as she took a book from her pocket. "Well, might as well get this over with, cause I don't think she's gonna wake up from that damn dream…" she said as she began reading aloud. "Well, it seems that you need to become a little less curious. Curiosity is not a good thing sometimes, and it can often lead to trouble." She then stopped, and glanced over at the girl passed out beside her.

"Hey, Tager! Get your ass over here!" she commanded, and her large assistant came quickly to her call. "You called, Kokonoe?" Tager asked as he looked at her. Kokonoe nodded, and a devious grin crossed her face. "You remember that new hologram machine I need to test out? Would you mind putting her in there for me?" Tager sighed, and nodded as he picked up the still unconscious Shizuka.

Kokonoe giddily leapt into her chair, and began typing some code onto her screen. "Alright Shizuka… you wanna fulfill those naughty desires of yours? Let me help you with that…" she cackled as she pressed the enter key on her board. She leaned back in her chair and looked at her nails, and a large grin crossed her face when she heard the shrill scream come from inside her machine.

"Oh yes, go on Shizzy. I'll just keep you in there for a while… let's see how you deal with being surrounded by Terumi in a maid uniform…" she giggled to herself.

"_**Oh God, this is too much fun. I get to humiliate Terumi, and watch the reactions of Shizuka. Could this day get any damn better**_?"


	30. Gag Reel

"Ms. Zara!" Zara turned her head in the direction that her name had been called, only to see Carl making his way towards her. "Oh hey, Carl! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Zara asked as she walked towards him and met him halfway. Carl gave a small nod, and Zara glanced at his "sister.""So, what are you doing here, Carl?" Carl tilted his head, and then looked over his shoulder at his sister.

"Well, we're looking for Ms. Shizuka again." Zara raised her eyebrow, and gave a small chuckle. "Well, well, well, it looks like we're doing the same thing. I've been looking everywhere for her. I checked her office, and she wasn't there. I swear I've been all over the damn NOL building, and not a single trace of her. It's like she just vanished." Carl placed his index finger upon his chin, and then snapped his fingers.

"Have you checked her commanding officer's office? Perhaps she went there for a new assignment." Zara thought for a moment, and then slapped her forehead. "Oh my God, I seriously didn't check there. What the hell is wrong with me?" she muttered as she looked back towards the entrance of the building. "Come on little Carl, we'll look together. And don't worry, you'll be with me, so you'll be alright," she said as she nudged his shoulder.

Carl gave another small nod, and they began walking inside together. "I can't believe I was so stupid! I checked everywhere else but his office! Of course she'd be in there!" Zara grumbled as they padded down the hallway. Carl gave a small chuckle, and he looked up at Zara. "It's alright, Ms. Zara. Don't worry about it. I'm sure she's just fine. She's probably just getting another assignment or something of that sort," he said as he gave her a small smile.

Zara thought for a moment, and a sly grin crossed her face. "Mhm, another assignment. I wonder what that assignment could possibly be…" she replied quietly. Carl gave her a confused look, and then shook his head. "Hmm, I believe I agree with you Sis. I don't think I wish to know what she meant by that…" Zara giggled and gently poked his cheek. "My God, I swear you're too innocent. It's so cute," she said as they finally arrived in front of his door.

Zara moved her arm and prepared to shove open the door, and Carl grabbed her arm. "H-hold on a second! You can't just barge into people's offices without notice!" he exclaimed quietly. Zara scoffed, and placed her hand on the door. "Pfft. You think I care? I'm looking for my best friend here, and I couldn't really give a damn what they're talking about in there." Carl shook his head, and took a firmer grip on her arm.

Zara stared at him for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright, alright, you win. I'll just open it a little bit and we can see if she's in there, okay?" Carl nodded, and slowly let go of her arm. "Very good, Ms. Zara. Go on," he said as he tilted his head towards the door. Zara nodded, and very slowly opened the door just so that they could both see what was going on inside. Zara peeked through the crack in the door, and Carl looked underneath her so he could see as well.

"**Oh**. **My**. **GOD**." Zara squeaked as she placed her hand over her mouth. Carl felt a hand be pressed over his eyes, and he moved his head in an attempt to keep looking. "Carl! Stop it!" Zara exclaimed quietly as she kept placing her hand over his eyes. "The why are you still looking?!" he asked in reply as he looked up at her. "Fine! I'll just…" Zara backed up a bit and slammed her foot into the door, sending it flying open.

"What the _hell_ is going on in here?!" she exclaimed as she stormed inside of the office. "Z-Zara! What the hell? C-Carl?! You too?" Shizuka exclaimed as she immediately stepped away from her commanding officer. Zara's face was bright red, and she glanced over at Carl, who was still attempting to figure out what was going on. "Sis… I'm not entirely sure what I just saw…" he said quietly. "Carl, you don't need to know what was just going on…" Zara replied quickly as she glanced down at him.

"What are you two talking about?! Nothing was going on! N-nothing at all!" Shizuka replied almost immediately, her face turning a bright shade of crimson. Zara glared at her and her boss, and a wide smirk crossed her lips. "So, you're meaning to tell me, that I didn't just see you two eating each other's faces, hmm?" "W-what?! N-no! No way! We were just…" "What about eating, meow?!" Everyone watched the flash of yellow enter the room, only to leap through the air and land on top of the man standing beside Shizuka.

"Green Guy! What was this I hear about eating, meow!" Hazama struggled to get the female Kaka off of him, and he growled. "Hey! Get the hell off of me, you damn cat!" he hissed as he shoved her off of him. Taokaka stumbled backwards and fell on her rump, and then rubbed her head. "Owww, Green Guy that hurt…" she meowed quietly.

"Taokaka? Carl? What is everyone doing in here?" All heads turned to watch the female doctor walk into the room, and she immediately noticed Shizuka. "Shizuka!" she exclaimed as she ran to her side and grabbed her cheek, forcing her head to the left to examine her neck. "What happened to you? Where did these dark marks come from?" she asked quickly. "Boobie Lady! Tao heard that woman say something about Green Guy trying to eat Pretty Lady, meow!" Taokaka chimed in happily.

Litchi blinked, and then stared sternly at Shizuka. "Shizuka… really?" Shizuka's blush deepened, and she looked away. "N-no! It's not like that!" "I wouldn't deny it. For I have all the evidence I need to say that you were in fact engaging in those activities," Rachel said as she appeared inside the room with everyone else. "Goddamn it, you damn vampire! The last thing we need is you getting in on this!" Hazama exclaimed as he glared at the she-vampire.

Rachel gave a very quiet chuckle, and she looked at both him and Shizuka. "Seems you two have drawn quite the attention, haven't you?" "G-guys! Calm down! None of this is as bad as you're making it out to be…!" Shizuka exclaimed. "Oh really? I beg to differ. I walk in here with innocent little Carl, and what do we find? You two tying your tongues up in knots. You have scarred innocent little Carl!" Zara replied as she grabbed Carl and hugged him against her chest.

"H-hey! Put me down!" Carl exclaimed as he attempted to free himself from her grasp. "L-like you're making it any better! Squeezing him against your chest like that!" Shizuka replied quickly. This made Zara immediately drop Carl, and another blush crossed her face. "H-hey! This whole thing started with you! What would have happened if we hadn't come in here, huh?"

This caused all heads to look at both Shizuka and Hazama, and Shizuka swore her face would explode because of how much she was blushing. "Yes, Shizuka. What would have happened if none of us had come in here?" Litchi asked as she stared her down. Shizuka couldn't answer, and her gaze seemed to fade off into the distance. "Oh shit, now you did it Litchi…" Zara muttered as she watched Shizuka.

All of a sudden, Shizuka's nose began to bleed, and she covered it with her hand. "Pretty Lady! Your nose! It's bleeding uncontrollably! You're just like Scruffy Man, meow!" Taokaka exclaimed as she looked confused. "What makes you two bleed like that, meow!" Shizuka shook her head, and tried to control the bleeding, but whatever she was thinking about was only making it worse.

"Hmph. It seems as if her mind has been lost to all things possibly seductive and obscene," Rachel stated as she folded her arms across her chest. "S-shut up Rachel…! It's not like that…!" Shizuka managed to reply. "Oh really? Then… you won't mind if…" Zara grinned and walked beside her, beginning to whisper some things in her ear. Shizuka's eyes widened, and another spurt of blood came from her nose. "G-goddamn it, Zara! Quit it!" she exclaimed. Zara shook her head and continued whispering some things in her ear, and Shizuka then fell to the ground.

"Oh, now you did it. Ugh, I swear all of you are so damn annoying…" Hazama muttered as he picked Shizuka up off the ground. "Hey! Green Guy! Where are you taking Pretty Lady?" Taokaka asked as she watched Hazama walk out of his office. "That's none of your damn business," he replied as he walked down the hall. "Ohhhhh, I see. You're taking her home aren't you? That was you two can be alone and continue where you left off, huh?" Zara giggled as she followed him.

"My God, like I said. Annoying. And even if I am, what does it matter to you, hmm?" Hazama replied, his agitation clear in his tone. Zara raised her eyebrow, and then ran ahead of him to get into Shizuka's office. When Hazama walked past, Zara leapt in front of him, pointing a finger in his face. "I knew it! They're gone! Hah! I knew it!" she exclaimed. Hazama rolled his eyes, and walked past her towards the front entrance.

Back inside Hazama's office, Rachel, Taokaka, Litchi, and Carl all exchanged looks with each other. "But, wait. I'm still not understanding something. What was going on? I'm not quite sure…" "Shorty meow, I'm not quite sure either. Let's both be clueless together!" Taokaka replied as she ran in circles around Carl. Litchi slowly shook her head, and then looked at Rachel. "Well, well, well. It seems like you're actually amused by this whole thing. Is that a genuine smile I see?" Rachel immediately cleared her face of emotion, and glanced at the female doctor.

"_**Perhaps I am. Then again, perhaps I was just intrigued by the lot of you who came to witness this entire predicament. I must say, the human reproductive hormones truly are a mysterious thing**_…"

_~The Tale of Shizuka Kaori~ End_


End file.
